With 24 hours remaining for execution, a death row convict got a lease of life on Thursday from the Supreme Court which stayed the death sentence against which his appeal to the apex court was still pending.
A fast track court in Madhya Pradesh had convicted a 32-year-old man named Raj Kumar for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in December last year. In less than two months, the trial was completed and the accused was sentenced to death on February 5 this year. The convict filed an appeal against the judgement in the Indore Bench of the MP High Court, which too confirmed it on June 27.
With time still on his side to approach the apex court against the capital punishment, the trial court proceeded to fix the date of his execution, forcing the accused to hurriedly approach the apex court. On an urgent mention made by advocate A Sumathi, the apex Bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi ordered a stay of the execution. The Court has issued a notice on the appeal to Madhya Pradesh Government seeking a response within six weeks.