Calcutta High Court Commutes Death Sentence to Life Imprisonment in Rape-Murder Case of 2.5-Year-Old Child

The Calcutta High Court commuted the death sentence of a man convicted of raping and murdering a 2.5-year-old child to life imprisonment without remission.

The accused, Suresh Paswan, raped and murder of a 2.5 year old girl child who was sleeping under a flyover around Kolkata's Khidderporearea with her family.

The Court emphasized that while the crime was heinous, it did not meet the "rarest of rare" threshold required for capital punishment. The Division Bench observed that sentencing must adhere to constitutional safeguards like proportionality and the possibility of reform.

The court noted that the trial court had not properly considered mitigating factors. The Court upheld the conviction but revised the punishment accordingly.