In Brief
A 50-year-old man was convicted of raping and murdering a 5-year-old child based on forensic DNA evidence and his confession to his wife. The Trial Court sentenced him to death, but the Supreme Court modified the sentence to life imprisonment. While the Court upheld the conviction as supported by strong forensic evidence, it found that the Trial Court failed to conduct a proper sentencing hearing under Section 235(2) CrPC, did not consider mitigating circumstances, and did not properly apply the 'rarest of rare' test required for capital punishment. The Court held that although the crime was heinous, there was no evidence of premeditation or intent to kill, and life imprisonment till natural death was the appropriate punishment.
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