Supreme Court Halts Execution of Gurugram Convict

The Supreme Court of India has issued a temporary stay on the execution of a man sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Gurugram seven years ago. This decision comes as the court considers a plea challenging the confirmation of the death penalty by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria has called for the matter to be revisited after 12 weeks while directing the apex court registry to obtain original records from the trial and high courts. Additionally, the bench ordered a psychological evaluation of the convict at a government medical facility.

The Supreme Court also instructed the jail superintendent to provide reports on the convict's behavior and work inside the prison, alongside evaluations from probation officers. The convict claims innocence and alleges being wrongfully framed, as the prosecution maintains that the crime occurred in November 2018, with the victim's body found near a temple.

(With inputs from agencies.)