Mattoo case: Delhi High Court gives death sentence to Santosh

NEW DELHI: A fortnight after he was convicted for the rape and murder of law student Priyadarshani Mattoo, Delhi High Court on Monday sentenced Santosh Kumar Singh to death saying he deserved nothing other than capital punishment.

 

Pronouncing the judgement in a jam-packed court room, Justice R S Sodhi and P K Bhasin ordered that "he (Singh) shall be hanged till death".

 

"We are of the opinion that a case of this kind in which the crime is committed in a pre-meditated approach and grotesque manner, the convict deserves nothing other than death penalty," the Bench observed.

 

Dressed in grey trousers and white shirt, Singh, a practising lawyer who is married and has a child, was crest-fallen when the court handed down the verdict.

 

Singh was acquitted by the Sessions Court in 1999, a judgement that was described as "perverse" by the High Court. The Sessions Judge G P Thareja had held that though he knew that Singh had committed the murder, he was acquitting him because of lack of evidence. The Delhi High Court had convicted him on October 17.

 

The order by the High Court Division Bench on Monday came after three-hour long arguements by the Defence and prosecution over the quantum of sentence.

 

Making the submission before a division bench comprising Justices R.S. Sodhi and P.K. Bhasin, Additional Solicitor General A.K. Sinha said it was a "rarest of rare case" as the crime was committed in a diabolical and dastardly manner.

 

He said Santosh Kumar, the son of a retired Delhi Police official, had caused 19 injuries on the body of Mattoo, broken her three ribs and then raped and murdered her. The convict had been stalking Mattoo for more than two years before killing her.

 

Santosh Kumar's counsel R.K. Naseem sought life imprisonment, saying his conduct had been clean after the murder. He said Santosh Kumar was young and had a two-year-old daughter besides a mentally challenged elder brother to take care of.

 

Matto was raped and killed by Singh, senior to her in the law faculty of Delhi University, at her Vasant Kunj flat in Southwest Delhi on January 23, 1996.

 

Singh had been stalking her for nearly two years folOwing which Mattoo had lodged complaint at two different police stations.

 

Verdict in Mattoo case is a 'benchmark': CBI Director

 

Terming as "landmark" the verdict in the Priyadarshani Mattoo rape-murder case, the CBI today said such cases should be an "eye-opener" for the criminal justice system and a "benchmark" for trial courts and investigating agencies.

 

"It is hoped that this judgement will expedite trial of such cases by courts," CBI Director Vijay Shanker said.

 

"We in CBI believe that this judgement shall set a benchmark for the trial courts and also make the investigating agencies introspect on their functioning and for bringing about overall improvement," he said while expressing satisfaction over the judgement.

 

Asked whether the CBI would contest the case in the Supreme Court if the convict moved the apex judiciary with a review petition, Shanker said "we will put forth all the aspects before the Supreme Court as well".

 

Taking a cue from the case, he said "we in the CBI will try now to complete the investigations within one year".

 

The CBI Director said the case had also highlighted the fact that scientific evidence needed to be taken note of by the courts.

 

Lauding the role of the media, he said "we expect in future such cases would be brought to light with utmost objectivity and not by mere media trial".

 

Santosh's death sentence welcomed

The death sentence for Santosh Kumar Singh, more than 10 years after he raped and murdered law student Priyadarshini Mattoo in January 1996, was met with deep satisfaction by civil society that had fought a dogged battle for justice.

 

Priyadarshini Mattoo's father C L Mattoo told a TV channel that his daughter's soul would rest in peace.

 

"I hope no other father will have to meet the same fate as me. This should act as a deterrent for future criminals. My daughter's soul will finally rest in peace. I hope the judgement will bring the focus back on Nitish Katara and Jessica Lal cases. They should also get the justice in the same manner," he said, focussing on the two murder cases that have been under intense public scrutiny and are still to be concluded.

 

"The death sentence for Santosh Singh is a message for all criminals. Though it took a decade to get this decision, it must have brought satisfaction to the family," said Sabrina Lal, who has been fighting for justice in the 1999 murder of her model sister Jessica.

 

"Though personally, I don't believe in the death sentence, the Mattoo case is different from my sister's case. This decision is a warning to all the criminals that even if they get scot-free from the lower courts, the higher courts can bring them to book," Lal said.

 

"I think the courts have recognised that cases like these cannot be abetted unless given a strong punishment. I hope this verdict will act as a deterrent in the future," Neelam Katara, fighting for justice for her slain son Nitish, said.

 

Katara said she has full respect for the decision of the judiciary. She, however, refused to comment on her fight for justice saying the matter was sub-judice.

 

Priyadarshini's friend Indu Jalali said she was happy that justice had been done. "I am very happy. But then this proves that justice has come its logical end and he (Santosh) has got what he deserves," Jalali said.

 

She said if Singh chose to move Supreme Court in the case, Priyadarshini's friends and supporters would fight him out there too.

 

Terming the sentence as "historic", Aditya Kaul, a member of Justice for Priyadarshani, said it will set a precedent in such cases and will act as a deterrent in the future.

Asked about the possibility of an appeal by Singh in the case, he said "it does not matter and the judgement given by the Delhi High Court was very strong."

 

Noted filmmaker Ashok Pandit, who was an activist in the Movement for Justice for Priyadarshini, said the high court verdict was a victory of the media. "We all are grateful to the media for taking up this case and ensuring that the guilty got punished." 

 

Film actor Anupam Kher, who has also been protesting against the acquittal of Santosh Kumar said, "I think it is an amazingly landmark decision. A decision which will put the fear of death and lots more in the people who use power over a less powerful person or a woman," actor Anupam Kher said applauding the Court's decision.

A close friend of the Mattoo family added: "The family is indebted to all those, including the media, common citizens and civil society organisations who stood by us during this long period of struggle."

 

"We all welcome this decision of the Delhi High Court. Finally, justice has been done to the family though it took time," said Annie Raja, general secretary, National Federation of Indian women.

 

"This case shows the need to have a speedy system to ensure justice especially for women. Clearly, this verdict shows that we don't lack laws, what we need is to cut short the time taken to deliver verdicts."