SC reserves verdict on 2012 Chawla rape case, 3 convicts plead against Delhi HC sentence

The Delhi High Court had sentenced the three convicts to death for abducting, raping, and murdering a 19-year-old girl from Pauri, Uttarakhand in February 2012. Additional Solicitor General of Supreme Court Aishwarya Bhati said, "These are the things that curtail the minds of the parents in the society and they clip the wings of their daughters."

New Delhi/Dehradun:The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on the Chawla rape case on Thursday. The bench comprising of Justice UU Lalit, Justice Bela M Trivedi, and Justice S Ravindra Bhat was hearing the appeal of convicts against the Delhi High Court order that had upheld the death sentence awarded by the trial court.

Three years after the incident, the Delhi court had sentenced the three convicts to death for abducting, raping, and murdering a 19-year-old girl from Pauri, Uttarakhand in February 2012. Additional Solicitor General of Supreme Court Aishwarya Bhati said, "These are the things that curtail the minds of the parents in the society and they clip the wings of their daughters."

Amicus curiae in the case submitted that there is a scope for reform of the convicts and one convict is suffering from an intellectual disability. The father of the victim wanted to make submissions in the court but the court denied the permission stating that it will bring the emotive part and if the advocate is present then he should only be arguing. Consequently, the parties submitted their notes and the court said that it will pass orders.

The heinous incident happened on February 14, 2012. The family members searched for the victim who did not return home from work till late evening. Consequently, the police started the investigation and two days later i.e. on February 16, the girl's body was found in a sugarcane field in Haryana.

Describing the incident, the family members said that the private parts of the victim were mutated by acid, liquor, and boiling water. The family members added that the victim was gang-raped continuously for two days. The victim's father met Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister of the then Congress government.

Meanwhile, the convicts pleaded to the Supreme Court against the sentence. The apex court heard the matter and reserved its decision on the punishment of the accused on Thursday.