Supreme Court stay on death penalty for minor’s rape, murder in Madhya Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the death sentence awarded to a man convicted in the rape and murder of a four-year-old in Madhya Pradesh.
Image of the Supreme Court used for representational purposes (File | PTI)
Image of the Supreme Court used for representational purposes (File | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the death sentence awarded to a man convicted in the rape and murder of a four-year-old in Madhya Pradesh.

A Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud directed that there shall be a stay on execution of death sentence awarded to the appellant and called for the original records of the case.

Vinod alias Rahul Chouhtha, 22, of Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh had moved the apex court challenging the Jabalpur High Court’s order of August 8 upholding his death sentence for the minor’s rape and murder of the minor.

The high court had observed that the state should not be “soft” where the “predators committing such serious crimes may get reprieve in the guise of humanity”.

“Humanity is more in danger at the hands of such persons. We find that there is no mitigating circumstance in favour of the appellant (Vinod),” the high court had said in its order.

Vinod was awarded capital punishment by a POCSO special court in February 28. He had lured the child with biscuits and then raped and killed her on May 13, 2017.

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