INDIA: DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE TERM

October 3, 2018:

The Jaipur high court on September 27, 2018 commuted the death sentence of Prasandeep alias Panna, accused in the murder of a businessman Ghan Shyam Agarwal in Behror, to life term, while the sentence of his accomplice facing life term, was reduced to 2.6 years. The division bench of Justice MN Bhandari and DC Somani gave the order on a death reference by the government. The court reduced the sentence finding fault in the police investigation. The ADJ court in March this year, had handed out death sentence to the main accused Prasandeep alias Panna in the murder of a businessman Ghan Shyam Agarwal in Behror, while the other accused Ashok, was given life sentence. Ghan Shyam Agarwal was shot dead in broad daylight in the main market at Behror on March 4, 2016 and the police arrested both the accused on March 16, 2016 from Uttar Pradesh. The main accused Prasandeep is a history-sheeter, and had about 20 cases registered at various police stations, including murder, loot, firing in Alwar; while his accomplice had nine cases registered against him.