Now, Lalit D’Souza faces 10 yrs in jail

In what could spell major trouble for Lalit D’Souza, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued him, suo motu (‘on its own motion’), a notice for enhancement of his sentence.

If convicted under this (attempt to murder charge), D’Souza faces ten years of imprisonment.

A sessions court on February 1 had sentenced D’Souza to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs1.5 lakh for pumping six bullets into his sister Lorna in 2007 over a property dispute. 

D’Souza was, however, acquitted of the charge of attempt to murder. In its judgement, the court said there was not enough evidence to prove that D’Souza’s attack was premeditated.

Justice AP Lavande had granted him bail against a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and restrained him entering his Cuffe Parade flat. If for some reason he had to enter the house, he would have to take permission from the police. He was also prohibited from travelling abroad without permission from the high court.

Additional public prosecutor Poornima Kantharia had informed the court that the prosecution was in the process of filing an appeal against his acquittal from an attempt to murder charge.

D’Souza has claimed in his appeal that he has wrongly been held guilty of causing grievous hurt to his sister Lorna. He has claimed that the act (of firing) was in self-defence, after his sister attacked him after an argument over car parking below their house at Cuffe Parade.

The next date of hearing has not yet been fixed.