Patric Thomas Malujo, a British national, has been sentenced to ten years of “rigorous imprisonment” - hard labour - by an Indian court for smuggling charas (hashish) plus a fine of 100,000 rupees (US$2,100).
There aren’t too many details on the case other than in November 2003 one of three unattended bags on a bus from Delhi to Mumbai were found by police to contain 35 packets of charas. They were picked up from two seats that had been booked by Malujo and another Brit, John Donho. In February 2004 Mumbia police arrested Malujo. Donho, who still faces trial, was picked up in Goa. Malujo will appeal to the Rajasthan High Court.
There are a few interesting things about this case. Firstly, I hope that there was more proof of their guilt other than a bag on a seat, which could have been left by anyone. Secondly, who came up with the term “rigorous imprisonment”? Thirdly, his sentence relative to other crimes in India. For example:
* A man who pushed a physically challenged boy out of a rickshaw got 7 years of rigorous imprisonment.
* A man who raped an 18-year-old girl got 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
* Two policemen who tortured a man to death got 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
* A mid-wife who swapped a baby and sold him got 7 years of rigorous imprisonment.
