New Delhi [India], May 2 : Former IRS officer Ashok Agarwal has filed an appeal in the Tis Hazari court seeking enhancement of the sentence awarded to CBI Joint Director Ramneesh and retired ACP VK Pandey in an assault case. He also sought an enhancement of the compensation of Rs one lakh granted to him to Rs one crore.
On April 28, the Tis Hazari Court sentenced Ramneesh and Pandey to a three-month sentence in an assault case filed by Agarwal. The court had directed each convict to give Rs 50,000 as compensation to Agarwal within a period of one month.
The court had granted them bail to challenge the judgement. They were convicted on April 18, 2026.
The appeal came for hearing before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rajinder Kumar, who listed the matter for consideration on June 2. Agarwal has sought the maximum permissible sentence for the two convicts
Agarwal has also sought direction that the sentences awarded under Sections 323, 427 and 448 IPC shall run consecutively and not concurrently. He has also sought imposition of the maximum fine permissible under each section and sought compensation of Rs one crore.
He has also sought a direction that the sentences of both convicts shall run from the date of the order and shall not be suspended pending any appeal, "in view of the 26-year injustice suffered" by the appellant and the gravity of the offences.
It was also prayed that a copy of the judgment and the order on sentence be forwarded to the Director, CBI, the Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training and the Central Vigilance Commission for the appropriate departmental action against both convicts and such senior officers who ordered and directed the malafide arrest of the appellant on October 19, 2000.
Agarwal's petition said that the sentence is inadequate and it is not an ordinary case but "premeditated abuse of state power by senior law enforcement officers".
It stated that the offence was committed at 5 am when the appellant and his family were sleeping in their home.
"A private residence was broken into by force in direct violation of the constitutional guarantee under Article 21. The entire family, wife and children, was locked up in a room, causing immense terror and lasting trauma," the petition said.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Shashank Nandan Bhatt had awarded three=month imprisonment to the accused.
The court noted that despite the effort, the matter was not settled and proceeded with the arguments on sentence.
The counsel for convicts had prayed the court to release them on probation of good conduct.
The counsel for complainant had sought a maximum sentence and fine alongwith a compensation of Rs. 25 lakh.
Counsel for Ramneesh prayed for leniency on the grounds of "his honesty and extraordinary service records". He said that Ramneesh is a 1994 batch IPS officer of the Gujarat Cadre and serving as joint director in the CBI and has been awarded the President's medal.
The counsel for Pandey prayed for leniency on the grounds of his age and unblemished service records.
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