NEW DELHI, OCT 21: The Delhi High Court has upheld the death sentence against a man and a woman for sacrificing one-and-half-year-old girl in cold blooded murder in a witchcraft ritual and converted the capital punishment of two others into seven years' rigorous imprisonment (RI).A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arijit Passayat and Justice D K Jain, which yesterday heard the reference for confirmation of the capital punishment of the six convicts, however, acquitted two of them giving them benefit of doubt.Describing the murder as rarest of the rare offence, the Bench confirmed the death sentence awarded by a Sessions Court on Shakila and Babu Lal, but converted the capital punishment of Iqbal and Munir Bux into seven years' RI as the duo were found guilty of concealing the evidence under Section 201 of Indian Penal Code.Giving benefit of doubt to Chaman for whose benefit the witchcraft was performed because she did not have a child even after three years of marriage, the court also said there was no clear evidence against sixth convict Tabiz Ali.Government cousel Anil Soni said Shakila had arranged the performance of withcraft for benefit of her daughter Chaman in Sultanpuri area of West Delhi on October 2, 1987 and Babu Lal had picked up one-and-half-year-old Kavita for sacrifice from the neighbourhood.Additional Sessions Judge K P Verma had awarded death sentence to all the six accused on April 29 this year subject to its confirmation by the High Court.According to the prosecution case, Kavita was picked up Babu Lal around midnight when she was sleeping with her parents at her home to perform the witchcraft.The witnesses produced by the police before the Sessions Court had stated that they heard Shakila and Babu Lal talking about the arrangement for the witchcraft ritual in the evening.The child was allegedly burnt with acid and her body was later found in a nearby water tank.Police, which had recovered most of the articles used in the ritual, had alleged that Munir Bux and Iqbal had abetted in destroying the evidence.Government counsel had pleaded the court that none of the accused should be let off for involving in such a heinous crime a "rarest of the rare" offence committed by them.He said capital punishment would act as deterrent against those who intend to committing a crime like sacrificing of innocent children for an imaginary fulfilment of their desires.
