A Delhi court has sentenced a man to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for attempting to throw acid at his estranged wife, holding that an acid attack attempt does not become less serious merely because the victim escapes physical injury.
Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi, presiding over the fast-track court at Saket, convicted Sanoj Yadav under Section 326B of the Indian Penal Code for attempting to throw acid and under Section 506 (Part II) for criminal intimidation.
In its sentencing order dated August 25, the court made a strong observation on the nature of acid attacks, saying,“An attempt to throw acid is an offence of extreme violence aimed at destroying a woman’s identity.” The judge rejected the possibility of probation, holding that allowing the convict to avoid substantive imprisonment would dilute the deterrent purpose of the law.
The case arose from an incident on August 4, 2022, when Yadav went to the residence of his estranged wife, Vinita, in Sangam Vihar carrying a bottle containing a corrosive mixture of sulphuric and hydrochloric acid. According to the court’s findings, he attempted to throw the acid at her face.
The attack did not result in physical burns because the victim managed to shut an iron-mesh door in time. The court, however, noted that the absence of physical injury did not erase the seriousness of the offence. It recorded that the victim had suffered immense mental trauma.
The sentencing order also highlighted the circumstances leading up to the attempted attack. The court found that Yadav had travelled from Khan Market to Sangam Vihar with a pre-filled bottle of corrosive acid, describing this as evidence of premeditation. It also noted that the incident followed persistent telephone threats to kill and disfigure the victim, for which she had complained two days earlier.
The court further took note of Yadav’s conduct after the incident. According to the order, he assaulted the victim inside the police station and behaved aggressively with police officers. He also failed to appear before the court on two dates when the judgment was scheduled to be pronounced and was subsequently produced after coercive steps, including a non-bailable warrant.
While determining the sentence, the court also considered mitigating circumstances. Yadav was a first-time offender and had two minor daughters. The court also noted that he was 41 years old and had the potential for rehabilitation. However, these factors did not persuade the court to grant probation.
The judge said acid attacks are uniquely horrific because they can cause not only physical suffering but also lasting psychological and social consequences. The court stressed that the attempt itself represented extreme violence directed at destroying a woman’s identity.
Yadav was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 326B, along with a fine of Rs 15,000. For criminal intimidation under Section 506 Part II, he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000. Both sentences will run concurrently.
The court also ordered that the entire Rs 20,000 fine, once recovered, be paid to the victim as compensation for her psychological, emotional and social rehabilitation.
