HC acquits capital punishment awardee

Lucknow, Apr 5 (UNI) Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court has acquitted a person, who was awarded capital punishment by a sessions court in a rape-murder case.

A division bench comprising Justices K S Rakhra and O N Khandelwal passed the order on a petition filed by the accused, Padma Kashyap challenging his capital punishment.

He was awarded capital punishment by the Lakhimpur Kheri sessions court on December 13, 2006.

According to prosecution, Padma had raped a 13-year-old girl and later murdered her in Fardhan area, Lakhimpur. A case was registered at Fardhan police station against him on April 13, 2004.

After hearing the case and examining the evidence on record, the bench quashed the capital punishment, which it observed was pronounced on basis of weak evidence. The accused was acquitted by the HC.

UNI