Supreme Court orders fresh sentencing hearing in Vasanta Sampat death penalty case

The Supreme Court allowed Vasanta Sampat Dupare’s Article 32 petition challenging his death penalty sentence, holding that the Court can reopen sentencing if procedural safeguards from the Manoj judgment were not followed.

The bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol, and Sandeep Mehta emphasised that reopening under Article 32 is exceptional and reserved for clear breaches affecting fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21.

While the conviction stands, the Court set aside Dupare’s 2017 sentencing and directed the case to the Chief Justice of India for fresh sentencing in line with Manoj.

The Court cautioned that reopening finalised cases must not become routine.

[Vasanta Sampat Dupare v UOI]