Kerala - ‘Model prisoner’: Supreme Court commutes death sentence of man who killed wife, 4 kids

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | Updated: April 23, 2025 10:18 AM IST

Confirming the death sentence by its judgment on November 12, 2014, the Kerala High Court said that “facts of this case would reveal that the appellant planned the murder of his wife and four children and executed the same in succession, during a period of two weeks.”

Taking into consideration among others, his “consistent efforts at being a model prisoner”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of a Kerala man convicted for the brutal murder of his wife and four children and raping his 12-year-old daughter before killing her in 2008. “Considering the facts that the convict-appellant had no prior antecedents; good conduct for the past 16-17 years of incarceration; difficulties in mental health and consistent efforts at being a model prisoner, we find that the imposition of death penalty would be unjustified. He is, therefore, removed from death row,” a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta said deciding his appeal challenging conviction and the death sentence.

Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta

The court added, ”However , considering the severity of the crime, the number of persons killed, that out of five, four were his own children, we are of the view that he does not deserve to be set free and direct that he shall spend the remainder of his days in jail, till his last breath, hoping to do acts of penance to atone for the crimes he has committed and particularly for the fact that he extinguished four bright flames….The death sentence is commuted to life imprisonment till the end of natural life.” Convict Reji Kumar alias Reji, a Chemistry graduate and diploma holder in computer applications, was an agricultural labourer. In the course of his employment, he developed intimate relations with another woman.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/model-prisoner-supreme-court-commutes-death-sentence-of-man-who-killed-wife-4-kids-9959915/

Karnataka - Man sentenced to death in POCSO case in Karnataka's Kalaburagi

This is said to be the first case in the district where a convict has been sentenced to death in a POCSO case.

Roopa Kodad

DHNS Last Updated : 22 April 2025, 00:29 IST

Kalaburagi: The Additional District and Sessions (Special Pocso) Court sentenced a man to death and also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh for the rape and murder of a minor girl, in the city on Monday.

This is said to be the first case in the district where a convict has been sentenced to death in a POCSO case. The convict, Gunderao Shrimanthrao Chopade (28), is a resident of Devantagi village in Aland taluk. On July 15, 2023, Chopade, a agricultural labourer, had forcibly dragged a 10-year old girl to a sugarcane field. After raping the girl, he suffocated her to death and had thrown the body into an open well. The victim was on her way to another village to buy books when the crime was perpetrated. The incident had triggered widespread outrage from the general public across the district. Nimbarga police, who had registered the case, faced tough challenges during investigations due to absence of direct witnesses. 

However, the cops, led by investigating officer Bhasu Chavan, conducted probe and submitted a charge sheet to the court. Judge Yamanappa Bammanagi, who heard the arguments, sentenced the convict to death and slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh under the POCSO Act. The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the mother of the deceased girl. Special Public Prosecutor Shantaveera Tuppad argued on behalf of the government.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/man-sentenced-to-death-in-pocso-case-in-k-buragi-3503465

West Bengal - Man gets death sentence for killing wife in front of child

RAJDEEP MONDAL

21 Apr 2025 7:53 PM 

Jalpaiguri: A Jalpaiguri court has sentenced Sujit De Bhowmik (37) to death for murdering his wife, Mitali De Bhowmik (32), in front of their young son. The verdict was announced on Monday by Judge Biplab Roy of the Third Additional District and Sessions Court, nearly two years after the incident. The court’s decision was based on the testimony of 15 people along with the couple’s 10-year-old son, who had witnessed the crime. 

Sujit De Bhowmik

The incident took place on June 20, 2023, at Mitali’s paternal home in Sarkarpara under Maynaguri Police Station. Mitali and her sister had gone there for the funeral of their father. Sujit, who had joined them, allegedly got into a heated argument with Mitali after she confronted him over an extramarital affair. According to police, Sujit struck Mitali on the head and body with an axe during the argument. Their son was present at the time. Also Read - Mamata terms SIR a ‘BJP-EC nexus’ to capture Bengal Hearing her cries, Mitali’s mother, Kalpana Sarkar and her 85-year-old grandmother, Hiranbala Sarkar, rushed to intervene and were also injured. All three were taken to Maynaguri Rural Hospital and later shifted to Jalpaiguri Medical College. Mitali was declared dead, while the others recovered after treatment. Mitali’s sister, Chaitali Sarkar, filed a complaint at Maynaguri Police Station, leading to Sujit’s arrest on charges of murder and attempted murder. 

Public Prosecutor Prosenjit Dev stated: “A total of 15 witnesses, including the victim’s son, gave statements. The court viewed this as a rarest-of-rare case. The accused not only killed his wife in front of their child but also attempted to kill two other family members. It was a deliberate act.” Reacting to the verdict, Mitali’s mother Kalpana said: “We are satisfied with the court’s decision. Though my daughter will never return, this verdict gives peace to her soul.”

Source: https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mamata-terms-sir-a-bjp-ec-nexus-to-capture-bengal-640964

Odisha - Prisoner convicted for child rape (death penalty, then life imprisonment) released after 21 years for good conduct

19 Apr 2025

ROURKELA: A convict who was given the death penalty for the rape and murder of a five-year-old in 2002 before Supreme Court commuted his sentence to a life term has been freed from Odisha's Rourkela jail after 21 years due to good behaviour under a govt premature release policy, reports Malay Ray. 

Purna Chandra Kusal, 48, was among three released Wednesday from the jail and 30 across the state under the policy. Among the other two, one was serving a life term for rape and the other for murder, assistant jailor Priyajit Mangua said.

Prison authorities said Kusal, who has lost vision in one eye, demonstrated exemplary behaviour and was elected "panchayat" member by inmates four times, most recently in 2022-23. "He showed remorse for his actions," said an official.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/child-rapist-killer-freed-after-21-yrs-for-good-conduct/articleshow/120417755.cms

Madhya Pradesh High Court Commutes Death Sentence to Life Imprisonment for Family Murder

By Law Trend April 19, 2025 3:52 PM

In a significant ruling, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has modified the death sentence of Jitendra Purviya, a man convicted of murdering four family members, to life imprisonment. The court cited his intoxicated state during the crime and the presence of his minor son, who requires care, as key reasons for the commutation. On May 16, 2019, in Simreghat village, Raisen district, Purviya fatally attacked his wife Sunita, father Jalam Singh, mother Sharda, and son Siddhant. The initial conviction was handed down by the Additional Session Judge in Bareli, Raisen, who imposed the death penalty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code along with additional sentences under the Arms Act.

Justice Vivek Agrawal

The division bench, consisting of Justices Vivek Agrawal and Devnarayan Mishra, upheld the conviction but altered the sentence, highlighting significant mitigating circumstances. “Given the intoxicated condition of the man at the time of the incident and the existence of a surviving minor son who is dependent on his father, we find these factors sufficiently weighty to substitute the death penalty with a life sentence,” stated the High Court order.

Justice Devnarayan Mishra

The case details reveal a gruesome night where Purviya, armed with a gun and an axe, attacked his family members. Ranjana Bai, a neighbor, reported hearing distressing noises and Sunita’s alarms around 1:30-2:00 AM, prompting her to rush to the scene with her son. They witnessed Purviya assaulting the victims and narrowly escaped his aggression themselves. The incident left Sunita and Sharda dead at the scene, while Jalam Singh and Siddhant later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Purviya fled but was subsequently apprehended by local authorities.

Source: https://lawtrend.in/madhya-pradesh-high-court-commutes-death-sentence-to-life-imprisonment-for-family-murder/

Hyderabad - Mother gets death penalty for infant’s sacrifice in Suryapet

M Srinivas

12 April 2025 8:45 AM

The woman indulged in human sacrifice and performed puja to get rid of sarpadosha

Hyderabad: A court in Suryapet district sentenced a 32-year-old woman to death for killing her seven-month-old daughter in a ritualistic human sacrifice. She performed the act while conducting a puja to rid herself of sarpadosha at her house. Dr Shyamasri, First Additional Sessions Judge of Suryapet, pronounced the death sentence on Bhanotu Bharathi alias Lasya, calling it a “rarest of the rare” case. The crime occurred in April 2021 at Mekapati Thanda in Kodad mandal and shocked the region. 

Police launched a detailed investigation after the gruesome nature of the case came to light. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on Saturday, Munagala sub-inspector B. Praveen Kumar said he responded immediately after receiving an alert from villagers. At the time, he was posted at Mothe police station. He said the accused committed the crime when her husband was away.The crime came to light when local children playing nearby heard strange noises from the house. Elders were alerted and called the police. On reaching the house, the police found the baby dead with multiple stab wounds, vermillion and turmeric scattered across the room and a blood-stained knife at the scene. “By the time we arrived, the baby had died from severe stab wounds,” said Praveen Kumar. “We immediately registered a murder case and arrested the woman.” 

The police filed a charge sheet within a month, and the trial began soon after. Forensic evidence, including the blood-stained knife and Forensic Science Laboratory’s (FSL) report from Hyderabad, along with eyewitness accounts, helped secure the conviction. Following the murder case, Bharathi also attempted to attack her husband. She was sentenced to one-year imprisonment in that case.

Source: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/human-sacrifice-case-woman-gets-death-penalty-for-killing-7-month-old-daughter-in-suryapet-1872478

Haryana - Two UP men get death penalty for raping 3-year-old in Fatehabad

By Sunil Rahar, Rohtak

Published on: Apr 10, 2025 07:14 am IST

The victim died after battling for her life for eight days at Rohtak’s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS). An additional district and sessions court in Fatehabad on Wednesday awarded death penalty to two farm labourers for raping a three and a half-year-old girl in a field in a Fatehabad village on the night of June 29-30 last year. The girl died after battling for her life for eight days at Rohtak’s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS).

The additional district and sessions judge (fast track special court under POCSO Act) Amit Garg awarded death penalty to two farm labourers Mukesh and Satish, both residents of Uttar Pradesh and staying in Haryana for the last several years. They were convicted under sections 363 (kidnapping), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance with common intention), 366 and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1.75 lakh on them.

According to police, the incident occurred on the night of June 29-30, when the accused, who were known to the victim’s father (who belonged to Uttar Pradesh), consumed liquor in a room in a field at a village in Fatehabad, where the girl’s family was working as labourers. In his complaint to Tohana police, the victim’s father said that he, along with his wife, were working as labourers in the fields of a farmer in a village in Fatehabad’s Tohana area.

“On the night of June 29, three migrant workers, Mukesh, Satish and Sambhu, came to meet me. They also hail from Uttar Pradesh and were employed by other farmers in the area. We consumed alcohol, and the trio went home. Around 3 am on Sunday, I woke up and found my daughter missing. She was recovered from Jakhal Road. I, along with my employer, rushed my daughter to Tohana Civil Hospital, where doctors confirmed sexual assault,” the migrant worker had added in his complaint.

The girl was later rushed to Maharaja Agrasen Medical College in Hisar’s Agroha and later she was shifted to PGIMS, Rohtak. The girl died after battling for life for eight days. The doctors at PGIMS had stated that the girl had suffered genital injuries, including in her rectum and lower intestinal tract. The then, Tohana station house officer Devi Lal had said that two migrant workers — Satish and Mukesh— abducted the girl and raped her in the nearby fields. 

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/two-up-men-get-death-penalty-for-raping-3-year-old-in-fatehabad-101744224844784.html#google_vignette