Criminal Trial

Sentence

— Reduction of sentence — Health and old age as factors — Alteration of sentence to period already undergone i.e. 70 days — Relief of — Entitlement to — Forgery case — Girl B securing admission on basis of forged marksheets — Sentence of 3 months and 6 months passed against B and her father F respectively by High Court — B, a housewife, having no job/source of income of her own — She was a heart patient and had undergone two open heart surgeries — F, a retired Engineer of 81 years, was also a heart patient and having no income other than his pension — Incident occurred a quarter of century back — Considering peculiar facts of the case and an earlier order of Supreme Court, held, sentence could be reduced to period already undergone by B and F i.e. 70 days — However, fine imposed by courts below would remain unaltered, (2006) 7 SCC 414