Delhi HC upholds Sanjeev Nanda’s conviction in BMW case but

The Delhi High Court on Monday has reduced the sentence of Sanjeev Nanda, who was convicted in BMW hit-and-run case from five years to two years of imprisonment.

Pronouncing the verdict in a packed courtroom, Justice Kailash Gambhir said that though the incident was ‘gruesome,’ it could not be held that it occurred within the knowledge of Nanda. The court modified the trial court order by holding him guilty under Section 304-A (causing death due to rash and negligent act) and acquitting him of Section 304 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

The court also reduced by half the quantum of sentence against three others -- businessmen Rajeev Gupta and his two employees Bhola Nath and Shyam Singh, who were punished for destruction of evidence in the case. Gupta was sentenced to six months prison term from one year awarded by a trial court. His two employees were awarded three months jail term from their six months sentence.

The judge said: ‘If he was really so compassionate towards the victims, why did he take to his heels after causing the accident.’

Drawing parallels between his trial and that of the Alistair Pereira hit-and-run case of Mumbai, Nanda had pleaded that the sentence the trial court awarded to him was excessive as in the Pereira case the accused was awarded three years imprisonment.

The Delhi Police says it will now appeal in the Supreme Court against Monday's verdict.