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Journalism of Courage
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of Santosh Kumar Singh in the 14-year-old Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case but reduced the death sentence to life imprisonment,saying certain things were in his favour.
“The conviction is maintained,” a Bench comprising Justices H S Bedi and C K Prasad said.
The Bench,however,said “To our mind,certain things are in favour of appellant (Singh). We are converting the punishment of death sentence into the life imprisonment.”
Convict Santosh Kumar Singh the son of a former IPS officer and a fellow law student in Delhi University had raped and murdered Priyadarshini,then in her third year,in January 1996.
Santosh Singh was first acquitted of the charges by a trial court on December 3,1999 but the Delhi High Court had on October 27,2006 reversed that decision by holding him guilty of rape and murder. The High Court had pronounced a death sentence.
Singh challenged the High Court’s verdict but the Central Bureau of Investigation appealed the death sentence be upheld,stating the High Court had correctly appreciated the evidence leading to his conviction.
On Wednesday morning,the apex court Bench of Justices H S Bedi and C K Prasad which had on July 29 reserved its verdict commuted the death sentence into a life term.
CBI had sought upholding of the death sentence saying the high court had correctly appreciated the evidence leading to his conviction.
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