The Patna high court has upheld the death sentence to two men convicted of killing a father and his two sons over a land dispute in 2021, invoking the Mahabharat. In a January 22 order, uploaded on Wednesday, the court underscored the epic’s inherent message: “Aggressors meet a tragic end as divine punishment for their adharm (injustice).”
Aman Singh and Sonal Singh, the convicts, moved the high court against their death sentence. The high court also affirmed the order of a trial court in Rohtas for maximum compensation to the widows of the three murdered men.
A bench of justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Sourendra Pandey cited facts and circumstances and added the case comes under the “the rarest of rare category,” warranting the death penalty, while dismissing pleas for commutation of punishment to a life sentence.
“The trial court noticed that in this case, altogether three unarmed persons were ruthlessly butchered by the appellants, who were armed with a sword, for a small piece of land. The incessant tears of their widows and the children cannot be dried out. However, by way of capital punishment, their sufferings are supposed to be mitigated. They may console themselves if convicts are awarded capital punishment. They are supposed to lead a secured and peaceful lives,” the bench said.
Justice Pandey observed that he was reminded of the epic Mahabharat, which is a tale of feud over land and power between cousins. “The Kauravas were the aggressors, who attempted to kill relatives for property or to seize the reign of the empire. Mahabharat culminates with a message that aggressors meet a tragic end as divine punishment for their ‘adharm’, ie to try to kill their brother (cousins) to seize power,” Justice Pandey said.
The convicts killed Vijay Singh and his sons Deepak Singh and Rakesh Singh with swords. Ajay Singh, father of the convicts, has been named a proclaimed offender.
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