Verdict by Madurai Bench
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has commuted the death sentence awarded to a father convicted under the POCSO Act for sexually assaulting his minor daughter. The court replaced the capital punishment with life imprisonment.
Case background
The convict, a 50-year-old daily-wage labourer from Tirunelveli district, was found to have assaulted his 14-year-old daughter when no one else was at home. A POCSO Special Court in Tirunelveli had earlier imposed the death penalty.
Appeal and court’s reasoning
Challenging the sentence, the man filed an appeal before the High Court. A division bench of Justices N. Anand Venkatesh and K.K. Ramakrishnan referred to Supreme Court guidance that, in appropriate cases, life imprisonment till the end of the convict’s natural life can be imposed instead of the death penalty.
No remission or early release
The High Court ordered that the convict must remain in prison for the rest of his natural life. It also ruled that he is not eligible for premature release, remission, commutation, or any reduction of sentence.
