Supreme Court halts execution of Ameer-Ul-Islam in Jisha murder case
text_fields
The Supreme Court has halted the execution of Muhammed Ameer Ameer-Ul-Islam, a migrant labourer from Assam, convicted in the rape and murder of Dalit law student Jisha Surya in 2016. The suspension of the death sentence will remain in effect until the hearing and final resolution of his appeal, as stated by a bench of Justices B R Gavai, Sanjay Karol, and K V Viswsanathan on July 16.
Ameer-Ul-Islam's appeal challenges the Kerala High Court's decision on May 20, 2024, which upheld the death sentence originally handed down by the trial court. The brutal crime occurred on April 28, 2016, in Perumbavoor, Ernakulam district, Kerala, where 30-year-old Jisha was viciously assaulted and murdered in her home.
The incident sparked widespread public outrage across Kerala, culminating in significant protests and demands for justice. Ameer-Ul-Islam, the sole accused in the case, was apprehended 49 days after the crime.
The Supreme Court has demanded the original records of the case from the trial court and the High Court. Additionally, the Superintendent of Prison at the Central Prison & Correctional Home in Viyyur, Kerala, where Ameer-Ul-Islam is currently detained, has been given eight weeks to submit a report detailing his conduct and the nature of his work while incarcerated.
The bench has also instructed the Government Medical College in Thrissur to form a team to conduct a psychological evaluation of the convict, with a comprehensive report to be submitted to the court. To aid in sentencing considerations, in-person interviews will be conducted with Ameer-Ul-Islam, ensuring confidentiality by holding the interviews in a private space without the presence of prison or police officials.
The court has mandated the submission of a Mitigation Investigation Report on behalf of the convict through his Advocate-on-Record within twelve weeks. This report aims to gather relevant information that could potentially influence the sentencing decision.
Jisha Surya's mutilated body was discovered by her mother, revealing the extent of the torture she endured, which further fueled public anger and protests throughout Kerala.
