Rape and murder: HC quashes death penalty
Bengaluru, August 05: Considering the prosecution’s objection that the accused was not given the chance for the cross examination by the sessions court, the Karnataka High Court has quashed the death penalty awarded to an accused in rape and murder of a six-year-old girl.
The Divisional Bench comprising Justice RB Budihal and Justice BA Patil ordered the lower court to retrial the case. During the hearing, state prosecutor HS Chandramouli said that the accused did not get suitable legal aid was not given the chance for cross-examination. So, it was not fair to regularize the death penalty awarded to the accused, he said.
Considering his objection, the Bench said that it was the rarest among rare cases. The work of the prosecution was not just ensuring the punishment to the accused, but it should bring to the notice of the court when the accused was denied fair trial and appreciated the stand of the prosecution.
Local police had registered a case against Anil Balagar of Banashankari Layout Second Stage on charges of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl.
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Saif Ali Khan’s attacker allegedly let in by house help, Police investigate
Mumbai: Mumbai Police suspect that the attacker who stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan six times during an alleged burglary attempt was let into his Bandra residence by one of his house helps. The house help is currently under scrutiny as police investigate the incident. The 54-year-old actor, who sustained injuries, including one near his spine, has undergone surgery at Lilavati Hospital and is reportedly out of danger.
The attack occurred late at night, and preliminary investigations suggest the assailant may have entered the premises hours earlier and waited for an opportunity to strike. CCTV footage from the residence did not capture any recent entry, strengthening the suspicion that the attacker was assisted by someone inside.
Police reported that the incident began as a scuffle during the burglary attempt. “An unidentified person intruded into the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan. The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing,” officials said.
The attack has raised questions about security in Mumbai’s high-profile areas. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the state government, highlighting similar incidents such as the murder of Baba Siddique and the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence. “If celebrities in Bandra are not safe, who in Mumbai is? This is a serious failure of law and order,” she said.
Actor Pooja Bhatt also expressed concerns, urging authorities to address the issue urgently. “Can this lawlessness please be curbed? Bandra has never felt so unsafe before,” she tweeted, tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior officials.
Police are now focused on identifying the attacker, who fled the scene, and examining the possible role of the house help in the incident.
