INDIA: HC CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPIST

March 8, 2013: The Bombay High Court confirmed the death penalty to a 22-year-old youth from Bihar for raping and murdering a minor girl after holding it as "rarest of rare" case.
A division bench of Justices P V Hardas and A M Thipsay today confirmed the death penalty of Raju Jagdish Paswan for murdering and raping a nine-year-old girl in June 2010 in Sangli district of Maharashtra.
"After evaluating the aggravating circumstances we are of the opinion that this case falls under the category of rarest of rare. We have no hesitation in confirming the death penalty," the High Court said.
The bench further observed that the accused will be a "menace to the society and no possibility to reform".
The incident dates back to June 21, 2010 when the victim had gone missing from her house in Bedag village in Sangli district.
The victim's father, a labourer in a farm, had lodged a missing complaint. During investigation the police learnt that the victim was last seen with the accused who used to live in the neighbouring house.   According to prosecution, when the accused was detained and interrogated he revealed that he had raped the girl and murdered her and then dumped her body in a well.
The sessions court in November last year while awarding Paswan the death penalty had observed that the accused had committed a heinous crime of raping an innocent child and that it was a "cold blooded murder". "After satisfying his lust the accused threw the girl into the well. An innocent girl was ravished by the accused for his lust. The accused is a menace to the society and there are no chances of reform. He does not deserve any leniency," the sessions court observed.
It also held that the social impact such incidents have should also be considered. "When such cases are rampant a message should be given to the society that such heinous crimes will result in extreme punishment," the court said. (Sources: PTI, 08/03/2013)