HC commutes Sonepat ‘rape’ convict Dharam Pal’s death sentence to life

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 21

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday converted the death sentence of Sonepat rape convict Dharam Pal to life imprisonment on the ground that the President took 15 years and three months to decide his mercy petition.

The court said the mitigating circumstances that Dharam Pal had been on a bail in a rape case also lost relevance since during the pendency of mercy petition he was acquitted of the charges.

“He will remain behind the bars, but will not be executed,” the court said.

A rape convict, Dharam Pal had later murdered the victim and four members of her family while on parole in 1993.