Supreme Court Upholds Commuting of Death Penalty in Notorious BPO Case

The Supreme Court has upheld the Bombay High Court's decision to commute the death penalty of two convicts in the 2007 Pune BPO employee gang-rape and murder case to life imprisonment for 35 years. The commutation was due to significant delays in the execution process, viewed as a violation of the convicts' rights.

The Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Bombay High Court to commute the death penalty for two convicts involved in the high-profile 2007 Pune BPO employee gang-rape and murder case. The convicts, Purushottam Borate and Pradeep Kokade, will now serve life sentences of 35 years due to procedural delays in their execution.

The delay in execution was criticized by the Bombay High Court as inordinate and unreasonable, impacting the fundamental rights of the convicts under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which assures the right to life and personal liberty.

This landmark ruling emphasizes the need for urgency in processing mercy petitions and highlights the failure of both state and central government entities to act swiftly, thereby necessitating the commutation of death penalties in this case.

(With inputs from agencies.)