Odisha HC Commutes Death Sentence Of Rape & Murder Convict, Acquits Another

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Thursday commuted the death sentence awarded to a man and acquitted another in a case relating to rape and murder of a minor girl in Jagatsinghpur district ten years ago.

Modifying the order of a Special POCSO Court in of Jagatsinghpur, the High Court acquitted Sk Akil Ali and commuted the death sentence of Sk Asif Ali alias Md Asif Iqbal to life imprisonment.

The two had been convicted and awarded death sentence by the ad-hoc additional sessions and POCSO court judge in Jagatsinghpur on November 29, 2022.

Both subsequently moved the High Court challenging the judgment and order of conviction passed by the trial court. The appellants had faced trial in the trial court for commission of offences of rape and murder as well as criminal conspiracy.

They were accused of committing rape and murder of the minor girl on August 21, 2014 in between 2 pm and 11 pm in a house at village Manu Mohalla under Tirtol police station in Jagatsinghpur district.

As per prosecution, they made criminal conspiracy and committed gang rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault on the minor victim girl and inflicted injuries which caused death of the deceased.

The trial curt vide found the appellants guilty and awarded them death sentence.

After hearing both sides, the HC bench of Justice S K Sahoo and Justice R K Pattanaik set aside the conviction of Sk. Akil Alli and acquitted him of all the charges.

Similarly, the death sentence of Sk Asif Alli was commuted by the Court to life imprisonment.