The heinous nature of crime like that of present one, in brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl child, definitely discloses aggravating circumstances, particularly when the manner of its commission shows depravity and shocks the conscience. But at the same time, it is noticeable that the appellant has no criminal antecedents, comes from a very poor socio economic background, has a family comprising of wife, children and aged father, and has unblemished jail conduct. It cannot be said that there is no probability of him being reformed and rehabilitated. Para 149. Abhorrent nature of crime alone cannot be the decisive factor for awarding death sentence. Death sentence commuted to imprisonment for life without remission till 30 yrs RI, for rape and murder of minor.
[Pappu v. State of U.P., (2022) 10 SCC 321]
LENIENT VIEW CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF REFORMS INTRINSICALLY.