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Minor girl rape and murder: Ex-Maharashtra home minister demands capital punishment for accused
Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh urged a death sentence for the accused in the Pune district child rape and murder case, calling for a fast-track trial and criticizing delays in Shakti Act implementation. The article notes related Shakti Act developments in Maharashtra politics and Centre-state interactions.
Why It Matters
The case intersects with ongoing policy debates on stricter laws to combat sexual crimes and the implementation of the Shakti Act, highlighting political fault lines over deadline-driven justice and capital punishment.
Timeline
5 Events
Deshmukh demands death penalty and fast-track court
May 2, 2026
Deshmukh demanded that the case be tried in a fast-track court and that the accused be immediately sentenced to death by hanging. He claimed the accused had also assaulted young children in the past and accused the Centre and state governments of buck-passing on implementing the Shakti Act, noting that the Act approved during the Maha Vikas Aghadi tenure is pending Central approval; he argued death penalty would have been possible within 15 days if the law were in force.
Crime details reported from Bhor district
May 2, 2026
The crime was reported from a village in Bhor district. Police said a 65-year-old suspect allegedly lured the four-year-old girl with the promise of food and took her to a shed in a cattle enclosure, where she was sexually assaulted and killed.
Maharashtra Day incident reference by Deshmukh
May 1, 2026
Anil Deshmukh described the incident as occurring on Maharashtra Day and termed it extremely outrageous.
March 2026: Nyaya Sanhita Bill cleared by Council
March 2026
In March 2026, the Maharashtra Legislative Council unanimously passed the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill 2026 to include provisions in the Shakti Bill to protect identities of acid attack victims and ensure jail terms for online sexual overtures; the bill had earlier been passed by the state assembly.
Shakti Bill status (2020)
2020
The Shakti Bill was passed by the Maharashtra state legislature in 2020 and sent to the Centre for President's assent; the President subsequently sent it back.