Supreme Court stays execution of man convicted for sexually assaulting three minor girls

The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of a man who was handed down death penalty for repeated sexual assault of three minor girls aged between six and eightA bench of Justices Vikram Nath Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while hearing a plea filed by the man challenging a verdict in June this year of the Madras High Courts Madurai bench which confirmed his conviction and death sentence given in the caseThe high court had said that three minors were sucbjected to aggravated penetrative sexual assault repeatedly over a period of one year and they were aged six seven and eight respectively It had said the convict did not deserve any leniencyThe execution of the death sentence shall remain stayed pending the hearing and final disposal of the present appeals the apex court said in its September 21 orderThe bench said the original record of the case be summoned from the trial court and the high courtIt directed the state of Tamil Nadu to place before the apex court the report of all probation officers relating to the appellant within 16 weeksThe bench said the superintendent of jail of the central prison Palayamkottai would submit a report with regard to the nature of work which has been performed by the appellant while in jail and also with regard to his conduct and behaviour thereThe head of the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital shall constitute a suitable team for the purpose of carrying out a psychological evaluation of the appellant it saidThe top court said the report of evaluation be submitted before it within 16 weeksV S Varunanvelu who is associated with the Square Circle Clinic NALSAR University of Law is permitted to have access to the appellant who is presently lodged in central prison to conduct multiple inperson interviews for the purpose of collecting information relevant to sentencing and to submit a mitigation investigation report on behalf of the appellant it saidThe bench posted the matter for hearing after 20 weeksIn March this year a trial court had convicted the appellant and handed him death penalty in the caseThe high court had upheld the trial court order and dismissed the appeal filed by the man challenging his convictionAccording to the prosecution he was a neighbour to the three minor victims whose parents were daily wage labourersIt was alleged that he used to take the three children inside a house and commit aggravated penetrative sexual assault on them These incidents took place over a period of nearly a year it was further allegedAfter the incident came to light an FIR was registered in February 2023 for the offences under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act POCSO and the Indian Penal Code IPCOn February 27 2023 the accused was arrested in the caseThe counsel appearing for the accused before the high court had contended that the statements of the victims were unnatural suffer with contradictions and they had improved their version at every stage since they were tutoredThe high court had said The accused person who has destroyed the soul and dignity of three children is not fit to live in the society and for the heinous crime committed by him he has to necessarily lose his lifeIt had said he does not deserve any leniency and any punishment less than death sentence would fall short of the societal expectation that childrens safety was paramountThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever