Crime increasing, no leniency to criminals: court

Additional Session Judge (ASJ) S S Rathi sentenced accused Ashok Kumar Solanki to five years in jail for trying to commit robbery on gun point and also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him. "Owing to the recent spurt of crime in Delhi, in my considered view, such like criminals deserve to be dealt with sternly so that right message be sent to the society that wrongdoers and violators of law shall not be spared," the judge said.

"Considering the totality of circumstances, he (Solanki) is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 5 years for commission of the offences under sections 392 (punishment for robbery) and section 398 (attempting to commit robbery or dacoity armed with deadly weapon) of the Indian Penal Code," the ASJ said, while also convicting Solanki guilty under the Arms Act.

The court, in its order, observed that the accused had made an audacious attempt by entering the shop as a customer before whipping out a loaded country-made pistol and aiming it at the head of his intended victim. "But for the dare-devilry shown by the victim, Shekh Mashkoor Ali, in disarming the convict, he (Solanki) would have definitely succeeded in robbing him," it added.

The court, while awarding the sentence to Solanki refused to be swayed by his plea for leniency and pointed out that he had "previous involvement in as many as eight criminal cases which include attempt to murder, kidnapping for ransom and UP Gunda Act matters."