SC upholds death penalty for rape and murder of a widow

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) The Supreme Court today upheld thedeath sentence of a person convicted for gruesome rape andmurder of a widow in Bangalore 12 years ago saying the mannerof committing offence brings it within the category of rarestof rare cases.

A bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and A K Pathakrefused to show any leniency to the convict who had raped andsmothered the victim after tying her hands behind.

"We are satisfied that the extreme depravity withwhich the offences were committed and the merciless manner inwhich death was inflicted on the victim, brings it within thecategory of rarest of rare cases which merits the deathpenalty," the court said.

The court also took into consideration that theconvict B A Umesh is a habitual offender who was earlierconvicted for various offences.

"The antecedents of the appellant and his subsequentconduct indicates that he is a menace to society and isincapable of rehabilitation. The offences committed by theappellant were neither under duress nor on provocation and aninnocent life was snuffed out by him after committing violentrape on the victim," the bench said.