65-Year-Old Man Sentenced to Death by a Pune Court for Rape and Murder of 3-Year-Old

A Pune special court has sentenced a 65-year-old man to death for the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl in Nasrapur village of Pune district. The verdict was pronounced within 60 days of the announcement marking one of the fastest trials for a rape accused in the country.

The case was heard on a fast track basis with the accused being arrested on the day of the crime. The charge sheet was also filed within 16 days. Charges in the case were framed on May 28 and the guilty verdict was pronounced on June 25.

The Court Order

The involvement of the accused was established on the basis of the “last seen together” theory forwarded by the prosecution.

The court also noted the previous criminal record of the accused and lack of willingness to mend his ways as an important factor in its decision making.

"The accused remains a danger to society. There are no signs of repentance or reformation. He has gone beyond the scope of improvement," the court remarked.

The prosecution argued that the barbaric nature and the offence being proven beyond reasonable doubt meant that the incident constituted a "rarest of rare" case.

"...All the parameters required to convict a person and award a death sentence have been fulfilled here. The nature of the crime is extremely barbaric; the accused committed the offence solely to satisfy his lust. Observing this barbaric nature and the fact that the offence was proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the court sentenced him to death, categorising it as a "rarest of rare" case," Advocate Vipul Dushing, representing the victim, told ANI.

The defence in this case was seeking life imprisonment for the accused instead of the death penalty.

Reactions

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule welcomed the court verdict, saying that the victim and her family have received justice.

"Finally, the victim little girl has received justice, and we all welcome this verdict. This incident was extremely tragic. It was expected that the accused would indeed receive the death penalty. We have consistently advocated the position that hearings in such cases should take place in fast-track courts, ensuring that the accused is certainly punished. Meanwhile, the investigating officers conducted the probe excellently and presented the evidence before the court. We also extend our sincere thanks to the investigation machinery for this," Sule said in a post on X.

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Sunetra Pawar also praised the judgement and said that it reinforced people’s trust in the judicial system.

“The court's verdict in the deeply distressing case involving the rape and murder of a young girl from Nasrapur in Pune district reinforces faith in the judicial system. There is no place in society for such heinous acts. The safety of every woman and girl is the government's top priority, and the resolve to take stringent action against such crimes remains steadfast. Justice has been served, yet society and the administration must remain collectively vigilant to ensure such incidents do not recur. There is no pardon for barbaric crimes like rape and murder. The court's decision strengthens confidence in the judiciary. Our government is committed to women's safety, and the strictest possible action will continue to be taken against criminals who harbor such depraved mindsets,” Pawar said on X.