Pereira gets 3 yrs RI in Mumbai hit-and-run case

Mumbai, Sept 6: The Bombay High Court on Thursday sentenced Alister Pereira to three years rigorous imprisonment in connection with the November 12, 2006 Bandra hit and run case.

Delivering the verdict, a High Court judge said: “Allister does not deserve any sympathy."

Pereira had moved the high court, seeking his acquittal while challenging his conviction by a fast track court last month on the grounds that he was convicted under Section 304-A of the IPC which did not figure in the chargesheet.

Pereira, a 21-year-old businessman, got away with a six month prison term for running his car over labourers sleeping on a Bandra pavement. He killed seven of them last November.

Pereira was found guilty of causing death due to negligence not amounting to culpable homicide (Section 304-A) and causing injuries (Section 337 of IPC) by the Sewri Sessions Court.

The lower court judgement had sparked a public outcry, which led to the High Court taking suo motu notice of the incident. It had issued a notice to the Maharashtra Government, asking why the prosecution of the case was so "pathetic".

The Maharashtra Government had moved the court against the lower court's judgement in giving lighter punishment to Pereira.

Additional Sessions Judge Ajit Mishra, who handed a six-month imprisonment to Pereira, has since resigned.

ANI
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