MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday has appointed a three-member committee to assist in the appeal hearing of Dharmamuneeswaran, who was sentenced to death by the Thoothukudi POCSO Court for the sexual assault and murder of a 12th-grade student.
The Division bench comprising Justice Jagadish Chandra and Poornima ordered the formation of the committee, including Senior Advocate Ajmal Khan, to facilitate the review of the death penalty.
A petition was filed on behalf of the police department in the High Court Madurai Bench regarding the execution of the court order that awarded the death sentence. The accused Dharma Muneeswaran had filed an appeal petition in the court.
When this petition came up for hearing before the division bench, the Judges referred to the apex court guidelines, and observed that in an appeal against the death penalty, there is a provision to appoint a lawyer to argue on behalf of the criminal. The Supreme Court has ordered that in such cases, a 3-member committee of lawyers led by a senior advocate must be appointed to assist the court.
Hence the Court ordered to form three members committee consisting of Senior Advocate Ajmal Khan and Advocates Thiruvadikumar and Jesimathul Fathima.
A Class 12 student who went missing near Vilathikulam in Thoothukudi district was recovered dead from a forest area. During the investigation, it was revealed that she was sexually assaulted and murdered.
Based on the CCTV footage recorded at a windmill in that area, the police arrested Dharma Muneeswaran, who belongs to Sayalkudi in Ramanathapuram district.
The Thoothukudi District POCSO Court, which investigated this case, gave its verdict last May 25. In that, a double death sentence was awarded to Dharma Muneeswaran.
The Court adjourned the hearing of the case after passing this order.