Supreme Court Extends Life Term To 25 YRS

Supreme Court Extends Life Term To 25 YRS

FPJ BureauUpdated: Thursday, May 30, 2019, 12:40 PM IST
article-image

New Delhi : Life imprisonment is usually 14 years in jail, but the Supreme Court has extended it to 25 years in case of a Jabalpur man convicted for kidnapping, rape and killing of a 7-year old girl in 2011.

The ruling of the Bench of Justices J Chelameswar, Shiva Kirti Singh and Abhay Manohar Sapre came on Friday while revoking the death sentence awarded by an additional sessions judge of Jabalpur on the ground that it was not a “rarest of rare case” to confirm the death penalty.

It then went on to discuss what should be the appropriate period that the appellant, Tuttu Lodhi alias Pancham, who was 27 at the time of the crime in 2011, should remain in prison.

“Considering the fact that a helpless child fell victim of the crime of lust at the hands of the appellant and there may be probabilities of such crime being repeated in case he is allowed to come out of the prison on completing usual period of imprisonment for life which is taken to be 14 years for certain purposes, we are of the view that he shall not be released from prison till he completes actual period of 25 years of imprisonment,” the Court said. It rejected attempt by Tuttu”s lawyer to challenge the conviction on the ground that there were no eyewitnesses of the incident and he was convicted on the basis of the circumstantial evidence alone.

The Court felt the trial court went by five circumstances proving the crime to convict him. These were:

— Tuttu asked the child soon before the incident to bring ”Gutka” for him and after sometime she became untraceable;

— Victim was last seen alive with the accused;

— The accused avoided to hand over the keys of his house for the search of victim;

— Recovery and seizure of victim”s dead body in a gunny bag from the house of the accused; and

— Seizure of blood-stained clothes including bed sheet from the house of accused pursuant to his memorandum statement.

RECENT STORIES

10 shayari by Mirza Ghalib that beautifully captures the pain of love, life and heartbreak

10 shayari by Mirza Ghalib that beautifully captures the pain of love, life and heartbreak

A 1950’s Throwback: Pictures Of India’s Very First Republic Day!

A 1950’s Throwback: Pictures Of India’s Very First Republic Day!

10 Bollywood divas teach you how to be SEXY in a SAREE this monsoon

10 Bollywood divas teach you how to be SEXY in a SAREE this monsoon

Nalini Sriharan: The unfolding mystery

Nalini Sriharan: The unfolding mystery

Tadvi suicide case: Court rejects bail pleas of 3 women doctors

Tadvi suicide case: Court rejects bail pleas of 3 women doctors