Novel punishment in rash driving case

A rogue BMW driver and his friend, who knocked down a rickshaw puller and beat him up in a road rage incident have been given a chance by a Delhi court to reform.
    
The two men in their early 20s, who were held guilty of rash driving and assault, were released on probation by the court on the condition that they would help the rickshaw puller's children in their studies.
    
"Both the accused would help the children of the complainant in their studies and submit a quarterly report on how they helped the children in providing the opportunities for education," Metropolitan Magistrate Gautam Mannan said.
    
The court also directed the convicts -- Sandeep Rawat and Amit Sharma -- to visit the house of Ghulan Rasul, the complainant rickshaw puller, every month and help his children in their studies, besides paying a compensation of Rs 10,000

to him.
    
"In my opinion, if the convict would understand the day-to-day hardship of the deprived section of the society, they will never commit such an offence in future," the court said.
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"I hope that by understanding such an exercise, the accused will grow as compassionate human beings and would follow the legal and non-violent path," it added, in an order stressing on community service as punishment.
    
A case was registered with against Rawat and Sharma with Mayapuri police station in south west Delhi on April 24, 2008 after their speeding BMW car hit the rickshaw puller.

They had also allegedly beaten up Rasul.
    
Concluding the case within a month, the court held them guilty under  sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 323 (causing injuries) of the Indian Penal Code.