[2019] Death Penalty- Confirmations, Commutations & Acquittals By Supreme Court

This year, India voted against a motion which sought prohibition of death penalty as a mode of punishment at the 42nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The death penalty confirmations by the Supreme Court is more compared to recent years. It confirmed the death sentence in five cases. Nirbhaya Case : SC Dismisses The Last Review Plea Against Death PenaltyAkshay Kumar Singh vs. StateThe Supreme Court bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna on Wednesday dismissed the last pending review petition in the Nirbhaya gang rape-murder case, which was filed by Akshay Kumar Singh, one of the four convicts awaiting execution of death sentence.Rape-death of minor girl : Death penalty upheld with 2 : 1 majorityManoharan v StateThe Supreme Court (2:1) upheld the death sentence awarded to a man involved in gang rape of a ten year old girl and thereafter murdering her and her brother. The appeal filed by Manoharan against the High Court judgment was heard by a three judge bench comprising of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Sanjeev Khanna. However, Justice Sanjiv Khanna dissented with the confirmation of death sentence and opined that the case does not fall under the category of 'rarest of rare' case, but would fall within the special category of cases where the appellant should be directed to suffer sentence for life i.e. till his natural death, without remission/commutation.Later, in August 2019, the bench dismissed the review petition filed by Manoharan. Among other things, it held that dissent by one judge not a bar for upholding death penalty: sc rejects review petition of death convict.SC Confirms By 2:1 Majority Death Penalty For Rape-Murder Of Infant; Justice Reddy DissentsRavi v State of MaharashtraThe Supreme Court confirmed by 2:1 majority death penalty to a man found guilty for murder and rape of a two year old girl. While the majority comprising Justices R F Nariman and Surya Kant upheld the death penalty confirmed by the Bombay High Court in the case, Justice Subhash Reddy dissented.SC Affirms Death Penalty To 'Tantric' Couple Who Killed Infant For Human SacrificeIshwari Lal Yadav V. State of ChhattisgarhThe Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence awarded to a 'tantric' couple accused of murdering a boy, by performing the ritual of human sacrifice. The bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice Surya Kant, after examining the evidence on record, unanimously held that the instant case is a case of "rarest of rare cases" where death sentence" can be imposed.SC Confirms Death Penalty Awarded To Man Accused Of Killing Six PersonsKhushwinder Singh V. State of PunjabThe Supreme Court, after a long gap and a series of commutations, confirmed a death sentence in a judgment. Ironically, this judgment has been delivered on the same day when the same bench, in another case, acquitted six 'death convicts' who were sentenced to death by the Apex Court in 2009. The bench comprising Justice AK Sikri, Justice Abdul Nazeer and Justice MR Shah upheld the death penalty imposed on Khushwinder Singh, convicted of murdering six persons belonging to a family, out of which two were minors – below 10 years of ageDeath Penalty Cases: Commutations & AcquittalsHe May Be a Reformed Person Already: SC Commutes Death Sentence To Pune Driver Who Killed 9 By His Murderous 'Joy Ride'Santosh Maruti Mane v. State of MaharashtraThe Supreme Court commuted death penalty awarded to a bus driver whose murderous 'joy ride' had resulted in death of nine persons in the year 2012. The bench comprising of Justice AK Sikri, Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice MR Shah observed that though the defence of insanity is not established in this case, the accused was under mental strain and stress which resulted in the tragedy.Rape And Murder Of 8-Yr-Old Girl: SC Commutes Death Sentence To 25 Yrs Imprisonment Without RemissionNand Kishore v. State of Madhya PradeshThe Supreme Court on Friday commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence, as confirmed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, of a convicted for the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl. The bench of Justices SA Bobde, L Nageswara Rao and R Subhash Reddy noted that the appellant was chargesheeted under Sections 5 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, in addition to the offences under Sections 302, 363, 366 and 376(2)(i) of the IPC. Post Conviction Mental Illness Is A Mitigating Factor To Commute Death Sentence Accused X vs. State of MaharashtraThe bench comprising Justice NV Ramana, Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar and Justice Indira Banerjee commuted death penalty of a person convicted of rape and murder of two minor girls. It held that post conviction mental illness will be a mitigating factor while considering appeals of death convicts When Second Conviction For Murder Would Warrant Imposition Of Death Sentence?Yogendra @ Jogendra Singh vs. State of Madhya...

[2019] Death Penalty- Confirmations, Commutations & Acquittals By Supreme Court

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