State opposes relief to Alistair under POA

Mumbai, July 18 (UNI) The state government today opposed relief under Probation of Offenders Act (POA) to Alistair Pareira, convicted for rash driving that killed seven labourers on Carter road in Bandra last November.

The state government contended there was no provision of probation under the Motor Vehicles Act.

While arguing before division bench comprising Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Ranjana Desai, which is hearing appeals filed by Alistair, the state and suo-motu revision undertaken by the high court, Advocate General Ravi Kadam cited several Supreme Court judgements opposing probation.

The Advocate General brought to the notice of the court, one Supreme court judgment that refused to grant probation to accused persons convicted under Motor Vehicles Act and remarked that when motor vehicles become death traps, any leniency shown towards rash drivers would further escalate the tendency.

He also referred to some apex court judgments which are against considering the compensation paid by accused persons in such cases to victims for the purpose of granting relief to the former.

Alistair Pareira has prayed for releasing him on probation under provisions of Probation of Offenders Act in consideration of his young age, which is 22, and because of the fact that he has paid a substantial amount of compensation to the victim's families.

Alistair Pareira has filed an appeal against his conviction and the sentence of six months imprisonment awarded to him by the trial court. The state government, on the other hand, has filed an appeal for enhancing his sentence.

UNI