Calcutta High Court Commutes Death Penalty of Man Who Raped-Murder Minor, Cites Age and Reformative Potential

The Calcutta High Court commuted death sentence to life imprisonment of Srimanta Tung’s for the offence of rape and murder of  14-year-old girl.

The court upheld his conviction under Sections 376(2)(i)(k), 302, 201 IPC, and Section 6 of the POCSO Act, stating the prosecution’s evidence “leaves no iota of doubt” on his guilt.

The Bench considered Tung’s “advanced age of 58 years,” clean criminal record and psychological reports, which showed no mental illness or strange behaviour. 

Citing Supreme Court guidelines, the Court held that the death penalty applies only in “rarest of rare” cases. Since reformation remains possible, the court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.