The Supreme Court of India replaced the death sentence of convict Sambhubhai Padhiyar in a 2016 child murder case with a 25-year jail term without remission. The court emphasized reformation and upheld the conviction while considering the convict’s age, background, and behavior. The ruling sparked discussions on justice and public confidence in the legal system.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has set aside the death sentence imposed on a convict in a 2016 child murder case, substituting it with a 25-year jail term without remission. The apex court’s verdict, delivered by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and K V Viswanathan, has sparked a renewed debate on the concept of reformation and justice in the country’s legal system. The Bench said –
“Having regard to the nature of the offence, a sentence of imprisonment for a prescribed period without remission would alone be proportionate to the crime and also not jeopardise the public confidence in the efficacy of the legal system, a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 25 years without remission would be a just dessert”.
The case dates back to April 2016, when a four-year-old minor boy was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered in Gujarat’s Bharuch district. The convict, Sambhubhai Raisangbhai Padhiyar, was found guilty of the heinous crime and sentenced to death by a trial court. The Gujarat High Court later confirmed the conviction and death sentence in April 2019.
However, the Supreme Court took note of the mitigating circumstances in the case, including the convict’s young age (24 years) at the time of the incident, his lack of criminal antecedents, and his low socio-economic background. The court also considered the reports from the superintendent of Vadodara Jail and a mental health hospital, which indicated that the convict’s behavior in prison was normal, and he had no psychiatric problems.
While acknowledging the diabolical nature of the crime, the Supreme Court held that the case did not fall under the rarest of rare category, which warrants a death sentence. Instead, the court observed that a sentence of imprisonment for a prescribed period without remission would be proportionate to the crime and maintain public confidence in the legal system. The bench ultimately decided that a 25-year jail term without remission would be a just dessert for the convict.
The Supreme Court’s verdict is a landmark judgment that balances the need for justice with the possibility of reformation. While upholding the convict’s conviction for the offences, including murder and under the provisions of the POCSO Act, the court set aside the death sentence and substituted it with a rigorous imprisonment for 25 years without remission. The court also waived the Rs 20,000 fine imposed on the convict, considering his socio-economic condition.
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