Death sentence converted into life term
THE ALLAHABAD High Court has converted the death sentence awarded to three persons, accused of killing a minor girl after gang rape, into life imprisonment. The three accused — Tasleem, Vishal and Kamru — were earlier awarded death sentence by the trial court.
In an appeal filed by the accused, the Division Bench comprising Justice MC Jain and Justice Mithilesh Chaudhari modified the trial court judgment and converted the death sentence into life imprisonment.
The bench was of the opinion that the present case, not falling under the category of rarest of rare cases, only life-long deprivation of liberty would fit in to meet the ends of justice. As such punishment of life imprisonment was awarded to all the three accused.
Referring to a recent Supreme Court decision, the court observed that the SC has given new input to deal with sexual offenders in a male dominated society.
It has advised all the trial courts to take victim’s testimony as gospel truth, unless it is tinged with a motive to falsely implicate the accused.
In normal course, a victim of rape does not like to disclose such an offence before her family members, much less before the police. The Indian woman has the tendency to conceal such offence because it involves her prestige as well as prestige of her family. Only in a few cases, the victim or the family members, come forward to give evidence of such unfortunate happening.
{{/usCountry}}In normal course, a victim of rape does not like to disclose such an offence before her family members, much less before the police. The Indian woman has the tendency to conceal such offence because it involves her prestige as well as prestige of her family. Only in a few cases, the victim or the family members, come forward to give evidence of such unfortunate happening.
{{/usCountry}}The incident is related to village Sahimapur under Hussainganj police circle of Fatehpur district. On February 24, 2003 at about 7. 30 pm, 13-year-old Preeti, alongwith her father and one Poonam had gone to answer the nature’s call. When they reached near the grove of Lakhan Singh, the three accused, who were already present there, caught hold of both of them and forcibly took them to the nearby wheat field. They assaulted Preeti and Poonam.
As a result Poonam fell down. Preeti was gang raped by them and died during the gory act. Postmortem reports found her brain lacerated with blood and clots present in its left part. Right and left lungs, live and both kidneys were congested.