MPHC reverses death penalty, sets man free

Jabalpur, July 18 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court today reversed a lower court's death penalty to an accused charged with sacrificing a three-year-old boy at Sagar district's Sanoha village.

Justices Shravanshankar Jha and Sugandhilal Jain admitted an appeal by Damoh-resident Mahesh Kurmi and exonerated him while striking down a government SLP.

On October 21, 2004, Sagar-resident Chhattarsingh filed a police complaint that his son Shrikant was missing since the previous day.

The victim's bloodied corpse was later found under stones in a forest adjoining a village near Sanoha.

Kurmi was arrested on the basis of details supplied by villagers Narendra, Virendra and Gopal. The accused confessed during interrogation.

On May 6, 2006, Sagar's Additional District and Sessions Judge M S Ansari awarded capital punishment and subsequently rejected Kurmi's appeal.

UNI XC-AC MIR HT2120