Once a kingdom was ruled by kind king raja bhanu pratap. One day while declaring a punishment for a criminal, he thought that he should try to know more about those who were punished for some offense they done. After getting punished do they really have a feeling of remorse? Next day, king went to prison house of his kingdom and started to ask prisoners about the crime committed by them. One prisoner said, "I have not committed any crime. I'm innocent. "Another said, "I have been framed. I am innocent too."Similarly, king saw that all prisoner's there were trying to prove their innocence to king. Just then king saw a prisoner sitting in corner with his head down crying. King went to him and asked, "Why are you crying?"Prisoner replied with humility, "I was troubled by my poverty and stole. I have no doubt about justice. I did an offense and I got punished for it."The king thought that the law of punishment does not create a sense of atonement inside all but this is one of those prisoners who is atoning for his mistake. If this person is freed from penalties then he can improve himself. So the king freed him. 
It is always better to tell the truth. 