Man gets 3-year RI for acid attack

The High Court on Thursday awarded three years’ rigorous imprisonment to a man who threw acid on a woman doctor in Mysore 11 years ago, disfiguring her forever.

In a major reprieve to a 2001 acid attack victim in Mysore, the High Court on Thursday convicted the accused to three years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 20,000.

The High Court division bench comprising Justice Mohan Shantanagowdar and Justice V S Appa Rao set aside the trial court order.

The order had let Shivabasavaiah go free in 2006 for the acid attack on Dr Mahalakshmi, and also fined him Rs 20,000.

The doctor, who runs a clinic in Mysore’s Metgalli, complained to police in November 2000 that Shivabasavaiah, her former landlord was refusing to return her deposit money and also that he was making king advances towards her.

On January 9, 2001, the accused demanded that she withdraw the complaint and upon her refusal, threw acid on her on the night of January 11 2001.

Shivabasavaiah was acquitted in 2006 by the trial court and has been out on bail since then. The trial court observed that the prosecution had not proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The State filed an appeal in 2006 against the trial court order, which came up for hearing before the division bench.

The division bench considered the submission and sentenced the accused.