New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of a convict to life in a case of attempted rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Maharashtra. His accomplice in the crime is currently serving a life sentence.
The Supreme Court said the case does not fall under the category of 'rarest of rare' cases for the death penalty to be awarded. The court ruled that the convicted person will serve a life sentence.
The convict, Pathan, and his friend entered the girl's house to carry out a robbery. But when the girl tried to stop the accused, he tried to rape her and inflicted injuries all over her body, including her private parts, leading to the death of the girl
In August 2005, a trial court at Parbhani convicted Pathan and awarded him the death sentence.
The death sentence was upheld by the Bombay High Court in 2008.
Subsequently, an appeal was filed in the Supreme Court and Maharashtra government argued for the death sentence.
The defense lawyer had argued that the accused was an illiterate and his intention was only to rob and he committed the offense only when there was resistance.