Supreme Court Highlights Mental Incarceration in Prolonged Criminal Cases

The Supreme Court highlights the mental suffering caused by prolonged criminal proceedings, reducing a woman's sentence in a decades-old corruption case while increasing the fine. The ruling underscores the reformative approach in sentencing to alleviate undue distress on convicts during prolonged litigation.

The Supreme Court has emphasized the detrimental mental impact of prolonged criminal cases, equating it to a form of 'mental incarceration' for those involved. In a recent ruling, Justices N V Anjaria and A S Chandurkar have reduced the sentence of a 75-year-old woman in a longstanding corruption case from over 22 years ago.

The woman, previously convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, had already served a short imprisonment period. Despite confirming her guilt, the court increased her fine by Rs 25,000 while highlighting the undue mental distress caused by drawn-out litigation.

In their declaration, the justices underscored the significance of a reformative approach in sentencing, recommending mitigation in penalties where necessary and focusing on the crime over the criminal. They urged that the legal system should strive to nurture rehabilitation over mere punishment.

(With inputs from agencies.)