The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the death sentence of a 30-year–old man convicted for the rape and murder of a 19-year-old engineering student in the Jharkhand capital Ranchi.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Pankaj Mithal and Ujjal Bhuyan called for the translated copy of the trial court and the high court records.

"Death sentence awarded shall remain stayed. The registry to acquisition records from the trial court and the high court along with the soft copy," the bench directed.

On September 9, the Jharkhand High Court confirmed the death sentence given to Rahul Kumar alias Rahul Raj, who hails from Nawada district of Bihar, by the trial court.

The brutal killing of the young woman, who was raped, strangled and then set on fire, took place on December 15, 2016. Three years later, in December 2019, the trial court sentenced Kumar to death.

The high court said in its order, "Life of a bright young girl aged 19 years who was studying in an engineering college, was snuffed out in a most barbaric manner, is established by the post mortem examination report duly proved by the doctors who formed the Medical Board to conduct the autopsy over the dead body of the victim".

It said Kumar had come prepared with cable cord and electric wire to strangulate the victim and also with three jerkins of lubricant oil to set her on fire after the incident.

"Strangulation was so intense that cable cord and electric wire got embedded in the neck of the victim. Thereafter, he poured lubricant oil over the body and set her on fire. All this was done on a helpless victim, by this appellant with whom the victim had no past enmity, and after the act, he simply slipped out and absconded," the high court said.

It added that the findings of the post mortem examination report establish violent rape with the victim followed by throttling her to death.

"This is not a case where crime was the outcome of sudden spurt of passion, but was diabolically planned and ruthlessly executed. Evidence discloses that appellant stalked the deceased, attempted to take a room on rent in her house, and thereafter, stayed in a room in a nearby temple complex..." the court said.

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