A special fast-track court in Pune has handed down the death penalty to a 65-year-old man convicted of raping and murdering a three-year-old girl, declaring the crime “heinous” and ruling that its gravity left no room for a lesser sentence.
Bhimrao Kambale was found guilty of carrying out the attack on the toddler in Nasrapur village on 1 May. On 25 June, the court delivered its guilty verdict, satisfied that the prosecution had proved every charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Sentencing followed on Monday, 29 June.
The court found Kambale guilty under all relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, concluding that both the nature and motive of the offence warranted capital punishment.
To press for the maximum penalty, the prosecution cited 12 landmark Supreme Court judgments examining the case for the death penalty in crimes against minors. The court accepted their arguments.
Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar said the team had kept the weight of the crime at the centre of its case throughout the trial.
“The court concluded that the accused was guilty under all sections of the IPC and declared him guilty,” he said. “The prosecution cited 12 landmark Supreme Court judgements in court, which debated the need for capital punishment for such crimes, and the court agreed.”
After hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the complainant’s side, the court had reserved its sentencing decision for Monday before announcing the death penalty.
Bureau Report
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