The Supreme Court recently changed the death penalty for a man who killed his pregnant daughter because she married someone from a different caste. The court, led by Justices B R Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and K V Viswanathan, sentenced Eknath Kisan Kumbharkar to 20 years in prison instead. Kumbharkar had murdered his daughter, Pramila, on June 28, 2013, for marrying against her family's wishes.
The court upheld Kumbharkar's conviction but stated that his death penalty should be changed to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment without any chance for early release. They confirmed that he would not be able to ask for a reduction in his sentence until he completes the full 20 years.
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The Supreme Court clarified that this case did not qualify as a "rarest of rare" case, which typically warrants a death sentence. Instead, they considered it a "middle path" case, meaning that other options for punishment could be suitable. The judges noted that Kumbharkar came from a poor background and had suffered from neglect and poverty. His family had no history of crime, indicating that he might not be a hardened criminal.
At the time of the crime, Kumbharkar was 38 years old and had no previous criminal record. The court also considered his medical issues, including speech problems and a past heart surgery, which contributed to their decision. They acknowledged that he had behaved well in prison over the past six years.
In conclusion, while the court recognized the serious nature of Kumbharkar's crime, they decided that a death sentence was not justified. They emphasized that the death penalty should only be given when there is no chance for a criminal to reform.
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