Delhi Court Convicts Man for Killing Alcoholic Father in Anger

New Delhi: A court in the capital has convicted a man for whipping his alcoholic father to death for selling his mobile phone to buy more liquor, saying that in a fit of rage he hammered a man "who brought him in this beautiful world".

The court, however, diluted the charge of murder to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the IPC, noting that the motive of Sandeep Tiwari was to get his mobile phone back and he never wanted to kill his father.

"Accused felt that his father had done a terrible wrong by selling off his mobile. In his zeal to reclaim and retrieve his mobile, he hammered a man, albeit under fit of rage, who brought him in this beautiful world.

"However, the prime interest and motive of accused was to somehow get back his mobile or to reach that man who had purchased the same from his father. He never wanted to kill his father," Additional Sessions Judge Manoj Jain said.

The court observed that Tiwari was a young man who must have felt fumed and annoyed on learning about such fact.

"Mobile is a prized possession for any youngster. He must be finding it hard to live without the same," it said.

The judge said there was no premeditation and the weapon, too, "was a mere danda (stick)" picked up from the house itself.

"Action of accused is outrageous and shocking but I strongly feel that a fleeting impulse of exasperation and frustration overpowered his logical thinking and in the heat of unwarranted obsession, he gave him whipping. To his misfortune, the injuries proved fatal," the judge said.

The judge, however, noted that the manner in which he "bludgeoned" his father showed that he had knowledge that his act might result in his death.

As per the police, on the intervening night of June 27- 28, 2016 when Tiwari found out that his father had sold his mobile phone to purchase liquor, he brutally assaulted him with a stick, till he died.

On the complaint lodged by the tenants of the victim, the police arrested the accused and filed a charge sheet against him for the offence of murder under section 302 of the IPC.

The investigation revealed that his father had a habit of selling household articles for alcohol and used to beat and abuse his wife and his children.

During the trial, the man had admitted to the quarrel with his father but denied beating him up.