BHAGGI @ BHAGIRATH @ NARAN Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner-convict seeks to assail the judgment dtd. 11/10/2018 of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur in Criminal Appeal No.5725 of 2018.

(2.) In troth, it is a common judgment in Criminal Reference No.6/2018 submitted by the Trial Court under Sec. 366 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Cr.PC) for confirmation of the conviction under Sec. 376 AB of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) as amended by Act No.22 of 2018 and in Criminal Appeal No.5725 of 2018 filed by the petitioner-convict herein aggrieved by the conviction and sentence imposed against him for certain other offences under the IPC, as also against the conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (for short, 'POCSO Act'). As per the impugned judgment, the capital punishment awarded for the conviction under Sec. 376 AB, IPC was not confirmed and it was commuted to imprisonment for life, which, going by the provisions thereunder, means imprisonment for the remainder of the convict's natural life.

(3.) Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner- convict and the learned Additional Advocate General for the State of Madhya Pradesh.