Rajasthan High Court Reduces Death Sentence in Child Rape-Murder Case, Orders Fresh Probe
The Rajasthan High Court’s Jaipur Bench has commuted the death sentence of a man wrongly convicted for the rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl, and ordered a fresh investigation into the case.
The accused was earlier sentenced to death by the trial court. The High Court had upheld the conviction but reduced the punishment to life imprisonment. Later, the case reached the Supreme Court, which confirmed the conviction but sent the matter back to the High Court to review the sentence.
During this second review, the High Court found that the case was built entirely on circumstantial evidence. Crucially, DNA samples taken from the victim’s leggings showed profiles of two different males, which did not match the DNA of the accused.
The court noted serious flaws in the investigation. It highlighted that:
- The accused was not given a chance to explain the DNA evidence.
- His age records showed he was a minor at the time of the crime.
- He had no past criminal record and showed good behavior in jail.
The High Court pointed out that these facts were not presented before the Supreme Court, and the accused received no legal help during that stage.
The Court believed that the real culprits had framed the accused with police support. It stressed the core principle of justice: “Let a hundred guilty go free, but not one innocent be punished.”
As a result, the Court:
- Directed the Jhalawar Superintendent of Police to reopen the investigation.
- Asked the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to appeal against the wrongful conviction.
- Officially reduced the death sentence to life imprisonment.
This landmark judgment shines a light on the importance of fair trials, accurate forensic evidence, and preventing wrongful convictions in India’s criminal justice system.
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