In Brief
Mohd. Firoz, convicted of rape, child sexual abuse, and abduction, sought clarification of sentence imposed in the Supreme Court's 2022 judgment. The original judgment commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment for one offence but imposed 20 years rigorous imprisonment for another sexual offence, consciously avoiding life imprisonment for the remainder of natural life. However, related offences received life sentences meaning natural life imprisonment. The Court held that to maintain the internal consistency of its sentencing logic—balancing retributive and restorative justice—all related sexual offence convictions must be modified to uniform 20-year terms, not life imprisonment, thereby respecting the Court's deliberate judicial choice. Review petition allowed and sentences modified accordingly."
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