SC stays death penalty of man accused of killing wife, kids
Dec 10, 2022
New Delhi [India], December 10 : The Supreme Court stayed the execution of the death sentence awarded to a man by an Allahabad High Court bench, till further orders and directed to constitute a suitable team for carrying out a psychological evaluation of the appellant man, accused of killing his wife and children.
The directive came on a plea filed on behalf of the convict, Deen Dayal Tiwari, challenging the order by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on May 9, awarding him the death penalty.
An apex court bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala on December 7 ruled, "There shall be a stay of the execution of the sentence of death, pending further orders."
The court directed that the head of King George's Medical University, Lucknow constitute a suitable team for the purpose of carrying out a psychological evaluation of the appellant. The report of the evaluation shall be submitted to the SC through the standing counsel for Uttar Pradesh within a period of eight weeks, the Bench further directed.
The Bench further directed that a psychologist shall have access to the appellant, who is presently lodged in District Jail, Ayodhya, and will submit a report on his psychological assessment of the convict.
The court took into account the principles laid down during the judgement in the Manoj v State of Madhya Pradesh matter and issued several directions to the respondent in the case -- the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The respondent state was directed to place a report of all probation officers on the appellant within a period of eight weeks.
The court also directed the superintendent of the District Jail, Ayodhya, to submit a report on the nature of work done by the appellant in jail, and another on the conduct and behaviour of the convict behind bars, within a period of eight weeks.
Tiwari was convicted for killing his wife and four daughters in November 2011.