A court on Monday sentenced a man to two years imprisonment and imposed Rs 5000 fine after finding him guilty of cheating and forgery.
After hearing additional public prosecutor and defence counsel on the quantum of punishment, Second Additional Sessions Judge Srinagar Vijay Singh Manhas observed that the accused apparently is an old man, in the age group of 65-70 years having no past criminal conduct at his back.
“It has come to fore that he is having old aged and ailing spouse, one son of 32 years of age, who is also not mentally fit. The accused on the basis of material available on the file is the first offender,” the court said.
“Taking a lenient view of the accused being first offender of the act, the convict is sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of two years along with a fine of Rs 2000 for offence under section 468 RPC (forgery for purpose of cheating),” court said.
It added that a simple imprisonment for a period of 2 years and a fine of Rs 2000 for offence under section 471 (using fake document) and one year and a fine of Rs 1000 for commission of offence under section 201 RPC (causing disappearance of evidence).
Court said that in default in payment of fine Rs 5000, the convict shall undergo a simple imprisonment for a further period of six months.
However, it added that all the sentences awarded with shall run concurrently.
As per prosecution, the convict used fake and fabricated matriculation certificate/diploma and facilitated fake and fabricated verification report of the certificate as genuine in the office of his Sericulture Department for seeking his promotion as Bush Technician from the post held as Mulberry Guard.