PRADEEP vs STATE

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on: 27th January, 2026 Pronounced on: 18th February, 2026 Uploaded on: 18th February, 2026 + CRL.A. 890/2025 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 1397/2025 PRADEEP .....Appellant Through: Ms. Dolly Sharma, Adv. versus STATE .....Respondent Through: Mr. Ritesh Kumar Bahri, APP with Ms. Divya Yadav & Mr. Lalit Luthra, Advs. Insp. Harish Kumar, PS Dwarka, North. + CRL.A. 1089/2025 & CRL.M.(BAIL) 1648/2025 DEEPAK .....Appellant Through: Ms. Manisha Parmar, Mr. Baljeet Singh Birla, Ms. Anjali, Mr. Devanshu & Mr. Rahul Yadav, Advs. Versus STATE NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Ritesh Kumar Bahri, APP with Ms. Divya Yadav & Mr. Lalit Luthra, Advs. Insp. Harish Kumar, PS Dwarka, North. CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE MADHU JAIN JUDGMENT MADHU JAIN, J. 1. The hearing has been done through hybrid mode. Signature Not Verified Signed By:RENUKA CRL.A. 890/2025 & CRL.A. 1089/2025 Page 1 of 33 NEGI Signing Date:18.02.2026 18:09:04 BACKGROUND: 2. Present appeals have been filed under Section 415 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter, ‘BNSS’) assailing the impugned judgment of conviction and order on sentence dated 7th May, 2025 and 17th May, 2025 respectively passed by the court of Ld. ASJ (Fast Track Court), South West District, Dwarka Court, New Delhi whereby the Appellants have been convicted in Sessions Case No. 537/2017 arising out of FIR No. 152/2017 registered at P.S. Dwarka North under Section 302/201/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter ‘IPC’). 3. By the impugned judgment of conviction and order on sentence, the appellants have been sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment for the commission of offence punishable under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC along with fine of Rs. 50,000/-. In defau