Blueline driver fined Rs 50,000 for abusing, beating a passenger

NEW DELHI, JULY 21: A Delhi court today directed a private bus driver to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a passenger whom he abused and b...

NEW DELHI, JULY 21: A Delhi court today directed a private bus driver to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a passenger whom he abused and beat up three years ago. The court further fined him Rs 2,000 to be deposited in court to cover the expenses of holding trial.

The passenger, Islam was beaten up by driver Dilbagh Singh while he was travelling in a Blueline bus in Route No 56 in 1997. The driver reportedly got irked when Islam insisted that the bus be stopped in R.K. Puram area because his pocket had been picked. The driver, however, chose to ignore his plea, which lead to a heated exchange of words and further misbehaviour by the driver, the court was told. But the matter did not end there and the driver picked up an iron rod and started hitting Islam.

It was only after two co-passengers intervened and snatched the rod from the driver that he let go of Islam. The passengers called the police and the driver was arrested. Islam was sent to hospital where he remained for almost one week, before being discharged.

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Holding the driver guilty, Additional Sessions Judge G.P. Thareja said: “The sentence awarded should serve as a deterrent to like-minded people from committing such a crime.” He added: “Decent behavior is expected from the bus driver and conductor to the passengers.”

The judge, however, did not award imprisonment to the accused saying that he had already spent three years in jail and this was a term fit enough for the punishment. “If he fails to pay the compensation amount, he may further undergo one-and-half years of rigorous imprisonment,” added the ASJ.