New Delhi: The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of the three convicts in the 2012 Chhawla rape-murder case and ordered their release on Monday. A bench of Justices Uday Umesh Lalit, S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi passed the order.
The Delhi High Court had on February 2014 sentenced three accused for raping and killing a 19-year-old woman in 2012. Ravi Kumar, Rahul and Vinod were convicted under various charges of kidnapping, rape and murder.
On April 7, 2022, the Supreme Court had reserved the verdict on the death of the three convicts. The Supreme Court had to decide whether to uphold the death sentence of the three. A bench of Justices Uday Umesh Lalit, S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi reserved the verdict after hearing all the parties.
The Delhi Police had opposed the plea to commute the death sentence. On behalf of the police, ASG Aishwarya Bhati said that this crime has happened not only with the victim but with the entire society. No relief can be given to the culprits as they have committed such a heinous crime.
The convicts not only gang-raped the girl but also insulted her dead body.
Delhi’s Dwarka court had in February 2014 convicted three men and sentenced them to death for raping and murdering a 19-year-old woman in 2012. The victim’s mutilated body was found in a field in Rewari, Haryana. She was mercilessly attacked with car tools and other things.
Ravi Kumar, Rahul and Vinod were convicted under various charges of kidnapping, rape and murder.
On August 26, 2014, the Delhi High Court confirmed the death sentence, saying they were “hunters” who were roaming the streets and “looking for prey”.