India Chandigarh
15 February 2010
HC commutes death penalty to life imprisonment
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today commuted to life imprisonment the death penalty awarded to two Nepalese nationals in a minor's rape and murder case, but the convicts will be in prison for at least 25 years. District and sessions judge, Ambala had concluded the trial in 10 months and had sentenced Nepal citizens Naresh Shah and Inderjit to death penalty. Deciding on an appeal, a division bench of justices Hemant Gupta and Jaswant Singh commuted the death sentence, but directed the convict would remain behind bars for at least 25 years, as the sentence will not run concurrently.
The two had taken the girl, the daughter of their acquaintance Ramadev Yadav to a field, where she was raped and strangulated to death.
( http://www.ptinews.com/news/519300_HC-commutes-death-penalty-to-life-imprisonment )
India Kolkata
5 February 2010
HC upholds death for two American Centre attackers
Calcutta High Court on Friday upheld the death sentences of Aftab Ansari and Jamaluddin Naseer in the American Centre terror attack case.
While upholding the death penalty for Ansari and Naseer, the High Court also acquitted three of the accused and reduces the quantum of punishment of another two. The court also put a stay on the execution of both Ansari and Naseer for three months so that the duo can appeal before the Supreme Court.
A trial court had sentenced seven people including Ansari and Naseer to death in the case. Ansari had challenged the legality of the death sentence awarded by the trial court in Calcutta High Court. Ansari and six other members of the terror organisation Asif Reza Commando Force were convicted for attacking the American Center in January 2002. Five Kolkata Police personnel were killed in the attack.
( http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hc-upholds-death-for-two-american-centre-attackers/109708-3.html?from=tn )
India Bhopal
18 January 2010
'Poor' man gets death for killing pregnant wife, kids
A man was awarded capital punishment by a local court here for killing his pregnant wife and two of his four daughters a year ago to tide over acute poverty.
The convict, Mohammad Shafiq alias Munna had attacked his pregnant wife and four daughters on February 4, 2009 with an intention to get rid of them as he was facing acute poverty.
In the attack, his wife and two daughters were killed while two others survived.
Awarding the capital punishment, Fourth Additional Session Judge, Shailendra Shukla said though the accused claimed he had committed the crime due to acute poverty, he only had fathered four daughters and three sons.
The judge also refused to consider that the convict attempted suicide after committing the crime, saying it doesn't lessen the seriousness of the crime.
( http://www.ptinews.com/news/474579_-Poor--man-gets-death-for-killing-pregnant-wife--kids )
(Source: Press Trust of India)