The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of death sentence imposed on a 27-year-old woman found guilty of the murder of seven members of her family, including four children, along with her companion.
A Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S.K. Kaul and Navin Sinha froze a Punjab and Haryana High Court decision of July 17, 2018, confirming her guilt.
HC’s view
The High Court had described the woman, Sonam, and her partner in crime, Naveen Kumar, as “monsters.” The Supreme Court has called for the records of the case from the high court.
The incident happened at Rohtak village in Haryana in September 2009. Sonam’s family had opposed her relationship with Naveen.
“There shall be a stay of execution of the death sentence of the appellant (Sonam),” the Supreme Court ordered on October 12. She was represented by senior advocate A. Sirajudeen in the Supreme Court. Sonam’s execution was scheduled for October 16.
The duo was first sentenced to death by a sessions court in Rohtak in 2014 for poisoning and strangulating her family.
The apex court has tagged Sonam’s special leave petition with that of Naveen, whose execution was stayed on September 7.
