Pune: Bombay High Court Cancels Death Penalty In Maval Child Rape & Murder Case; Orders Fresh Trial

Pune: The Bombay High Court on Friday cancelled the death sentence of a young man accused of the brutal rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Maval. The court also set aside the seven-year prison term given to his mother for helping him. This decision came after the court found that several legal rules were not followed during the first trial.

The division bench of Justice Manish Pitale and Justice Shriram Shirsat gave the lower court four months to finish a new trial. The judges said the previous verdict was flawed because the defence did not get a fair chance to question key evidence. The Maharashtra State Government now faces the challenge of proving the case again within this short timeframe.

The tragedy dates back to August 2022, when the young girl’s body was found near a school in the Pune district. Local police later arrested 24-year-old Tejas Dalvi, a neighbour who worked at a nearby farmhouse. Investigators claimed Tejas committed the crime, and his mother helped him hide it. A special court in Pune originally sentenced him to death in March 2024.

However, the Bombay High Court found two major legal mistakes in that trial. First, the defence was never allowed to cross-examine the expert who wrote the chemical reports used as evidence. Second, the court did not record the statements of the son and mother separately as required by law.

Instead, they were asked questions together, which the High Court ruled was a violation of proper legal procedure.

While the current sentences are now cancelled, the accused will not walk free immediately. The special POCSO court must now fix these legal errors and pass a final judgement by July. This ruling is seen as a setback for the prosecution, which must now ensure every legal protocol is strictly followed to seek justice for the young victim.