A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence awarded to Rajesh by the Principal Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, for the rape and throttling to death a 15-year-old girl at her house at Vembayam on March 6, 2011. The Bench headed by Justice A.M. Shaffique ordered that no remission be granted to him for 25 years.
The prosecution case was that Rajesh, an autorickshaw driver, with whom the girl had no previous acquaintance, had entered the house on the pretext of seeking her aid to repair his vehicle and raped and killed her. He stole her gold ornaments and pawned it at a local bank.
He was also sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and 10 years rigorous imprisonment for trespass and robbery by the Sessions Court. The Bench, while commuting the death sentence, said it was not a premeditated crime. The intention to commit the crime would have developed all of a sudden. Besides, there was no evidence to prove that he had criminal antecedents.