KOLKATA, July 24 : In a rare judgement, the Calcutta High Court has commuted the death sentences of two men convicted of the gang rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in 2021, sentencing them instead to life imprisonment for 60 years without the possibility of remission.
A division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi upheld the convictions of Fagun Mandi and Rabindra Routh, who were found guilty by a Jhargram sessions court of gang rape, aggravated penetrative sexual assault, murder, kidnapping, and destruction of evidence.
The trial court had deemed the crime as falling under the “rarest of rare” category, warranting capital punishment due to its brutal nature.
However, the High Court, while affirming the conviction, revised the sentence, citing the socio-economic backgrounds of the convicts and a June 9 state government report indicating potential for reformation.
“We deem it appropriate to impose life imprisonment on both appellants without the possibility of remission for 60 years from the date of the offence,” the court stated in its judgement yesterday.
During the appeal, the defence argued that the evidence was insufficient for a death sentence, citing inconsistencies, unverified recoveries, and unreliable witness testimony, and appealed for an acquittal or a reduced sentence.
The public prosecutor countered that the prosecution had established guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
According to case records, the child was reported missing on November 4, 2021, and her body was found three days later in a nearby field. The court found conclusive evidence of aggravated sexual assault and murder.
While reducing the sentence, the High Court emphasised the seriousness of the crime and imposed a stringent 60-year term without remission to reflect its gravity. (UNI)
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