The Bombay high court on Wednesday admitted appeals filed by the Maharashtra government and Alistair Pereira, the convict in a hit-and-run case, challening the lower court's verdict in the case, and posted the hearing to June 28.
The state government is seeking an enhancement of the sentence awarded to Pereira, while he is seeking a reduction in the same.
While hearing the appeal filed by Pereira, the high court on Wednesday also extended the bail granted to him, saying it was applicable during the pendency of the appeal.
The high court on Wednesday directed that the fine amount of Rs 4.5 lakh paid by Pereira should be distributed among the victims and heir of the deceased as fixed deposits.
However, the court said that at present the victims shall not be able to encash the fixed deposits, but only get the interest on them.
Pereira, the son of a city-based businessman, had run his car over labourers sleeping on a pavement in suburban Bandra in November 2006, killing seven of them and was sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment by a sessions court recently.
While criticising the police for its investigations in the case, the court had also granted bail to Pereira in the case to appeal before the high court. The judge who gave the verdict subsequently resigned.
