In a significant development, the Supreme Court has unveiled a set of comprehensive guidelines for sentencing in criminal cases, emphasizing both aggravating and mitigating factors to be considered by the judiciary. This decision comes in the wake of a meticulous examination of 27 cases, including the pivotal judgment in Ravinder Singh vs State Govt. of NCT of Delhi, (2024) 2 SCC 323.
The genesis of this landmark ruling lies in a tragic incident involving the brutal murder of a family, which resulted in the trial court imposing a death sentence on the accused. However, upon appeal, the High Court modified the sentence to 30 years of imprisonment without remission, citing precedents such as Swamy Shraddananda v. State of Karnataka, (2008) 13 SCC 767. Dissatisfied with this verdict, the accused approached the Apex Court seeking a reduction in sentence.
In its deliberations, the Supreme Court reiterated that there exists no one-size-fits-all formula for determining sentencing periods. However, it emphasized the need for discretion to be exercised judiciously and on rational grounds. Through a meticulous examination of previous judgments applying the principles of Swamy Shraddananda’s decision, the Court delineated various factors to be weighed in sentencing determinations.
Applying these factors to the present case, the Court acknowledged the heinous nature of the crime, emphasizing its premeditated nature and the tragic loss suffered by multiple generations of a single family. Nevertheless, it also took into account mitigating factors such as the accused’s age, lack of attempt to flee, and satisfactory behavior during custody, spanning nearly 18 years.
Consequently, the three-judge Bench opted to modify the accused’s sentence from 30 years to 25 years of imprisonment, inclusive of time already served. This decision underscores the Court’s commitment to balancing the gravity of the offense with considerations of rehabilitation and proportionality in sentencing, ushering in a more nuanced approach to criminal justice in the country.
