The Bombay High Court reserved its order today, on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to a driver who mowed down nine people and injured 36 others while driving a state transport bus in 2012 even as the state demanded the death sentence for him and the defence pleaded for leniency.

The defence lawyer sought leniency for state transport bus driver Santosh Mane, claiming that he had no motive to kill people while the prosecution sought death penalty for him saying that it is impossible to reform him.

A division bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice P D Kode reserved the order on the government's petition seeking confirmation of Mane's death sentence and also on an appeal filed by Mane challenging his sentence.

Driver Santosh Mane's advocate Jaydeep Mane, argued that the court should show leniency because his client had no motive to commit such an act.