Supreme Court of India

Rameshbhai Chandubhai Rathod v. The State of Gujarat

Neutral citation

Reported as [2011] 1 S.C.R. 829

Bench Harjit Singh Bedi, P. Sathasivam and Chandramauli Kr. Prasad JJ.

Decided 24 January 2011

INSC stands for INDIAN SUPREME COURT. A neutral citation scheme assigned by the Court itself, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter. INSC is the neutral citation scheme assigned by the Supreme Court, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter.

12 Supreme Court benches have cited this judgment.

What the Court ordered

We hold that despite the nature of the crime, the mitigating circumstances can allow us to substitute the death penalty with life sentence.

Judgment, page 8

From the headnote

Sentence/Sentencing: Death sentence or life imprisonment - In case of rape and murder of young girl of tender age - Difference of opinion between Judges on sentencing part - Pasayat, J. observed that the case fell within the category of the rarest of rare cases as the deceased was a helpless child of_Jender age and the appellant, being a watchman in the building in which she was residing was in a position of trust, and as the murder and rape was particularly brutal, the death sentence was the only adequate one - Ganguli, J. differed on this aspect and held that a sentence of life imprisonment

Authorities it was built on

2009 Ramraj @ Nanhoo @ Bihnu v. State of Chhatiisgarh cited by 11

Where later benches applied it

2022 Pappu v. The State of Uttar Pradesh relied on
2019 Ravishankar @ Baba Vishwakarma v. The State of Madhya Pradesh relied on
2013 Bhaikon @ Bakul Borah v. State of Assam relied on
2012 Amit v. State of Uttar Pradesh followed
2024 Bhaggi @ Bhagirath @ Naran v. State of Madhya Pradesh referred to
2020 Shatrughna Baban Meshram v. State of Maharashtra referred to
2015 Union of India v. V. Sriharan @ Murugan & Ors. referred to
2014 Md. Jamiludin Nasir v. State of West Bengal referred to
2013 Shankar Kisanrao Khade v. State of Maharashtra referred to
2012 Sandesh Alias Sainath Kailash Abhang v. State of Maharashtra referred to
2012 State of U.P. v. Sanjay Kumar referred to
2012 Mohammed Ajmal Mohammad Amir Kasab @ Abu Mujahid v. State of Maharashtra distinguished

Of those, 3 relied on · 1 followed · 1 distinguished · 7 referred to

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