Life imprisonment in Murshidabad case, no application to reduce sentence before 40 years: Division Bench
Sanchita Chatterjee, Kolkata:The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court has announced an unprecedented verdict in an appeal case. The Division Bench has given an unprecedented verdict in the murder of college student Sutapa Chowdhury in Berhampur, Murshidabad. The Division Bench of Justice Debangshu Basak has ordered life imprisonment by quashing the hanging of the accused Sushant Chowdhury. According to the High Court's order, - 'An application for mercy cannot be made before 40 years'. That is, no application to reduce the sentence can be made before May 2062. The Division Bench has also ordered a fine of Rs 50,000 for the convict. On May 2, 2022, college student Sutapa Chowdhury was killed by her boyfriend Sushant Chowdhury in front of a mess house in Berhampur. Sutapa was stabbed 42 times. Sushant ordered a toy gun from an online marketing company to scare the people present nearby. Accused Sushant Chowdhury was arrested in this incident. He tried to mislead the police by making false statements. But the police claim that the way he stabbed Sutapa in the upper body with a knife shows how vengeful Sushant was towards his lover. Based on multiple pieces of evidence, the Baharampur court convicted him in August 2023. Sutapa's family claims that Sushant not only killed his daughter, but also committed multiple crimes. The two had a love affair. Sutapa was mentally tortured after it broke up. Sutapa's family members are happy with the verdict of the Baharampur court. Sushant claimed innocence even after the death sentence was announced. Accused Sushant approached the Calcutta High Court for a reduction in sentence. The case was heard by the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak of the Calcutta High Court. On Wednesday, the state high court gave an unprecedented verdict, quashing the death sentence. According to the High Court's order, no application for remission of sentence can be filed before 40 years. That is, no application for reduction of sentence can be filed before May 2062. The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court has ordered a fine of Rs 50,000 for the convict. Legal circles are saying that no application can be filed for 40 years, which is truly unprecedented in the history of criminal courts in Bengal.