Aryan Grover
The Uttarakhand has extended aid to US citizen Farida Malik by reducing her four-year jail term to eleven months, which have already been served by her. Farida was caught for coming to India without the valid documents. The decision was rendered by a bench of Justice RC Khulbe.
Farida was caught on the Indo-Nepal border when a bus was checked by Indian security personnel and she was found to be travelling without a valid visa. A lower court judgement then sentenced Farida to four years in prison. This was challenged in a petition filed by her lawyer, who contended that the punishment given was out of proportion when compared to
her crime.
The ruling of the bench also provided for Farida to be allowed to go back to her country since she has completed her term in prison in India. The court also stated that there are cordial relations between India and the United States, and the fact that no other crime has been committed by the woman during her stay in India is sufficient to grant to bail.