Supreme Court Recommends Stricter Punishment for Acid Attack Perpetrators

New Delhi: Expressing concern over the increasing number of acid attacks, the Supreme Court recommended stricter punishment for the perpetrators. It also suggested putting the onus on the accused to prove that they are not guilty. Under the concept of criminal jurisprudence, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the onus is on the prosecution to prove the guilt. The Supreme Court suggested to the central government to suitably amend the law and cover victims who have been forced to drink acid or have suffered internal injuries in acid attacks under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi held that there was a need to start implementing such a clarifying provision since the enactment of the Act in 2016. Therefore, it was welcome for the ministry to take a formal note of the matter.