{"id":13110,"date":"2026-08-17T00:00:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T00:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=13110"},"modified":"2026-08-17T00:00:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T00:00:43","slug":"in-4-months-up-judge-sentences-22-to-death-rulings-ignite-debate-over-rarest-of-rare-doctrine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=13110","title":{"rendered":"In 4 months, UP judge sentences 22 to death; rulings ignite debate over &#8216;rarest of rare&#8217; doctrine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133283997,imgsize-110949,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/representat.jpg\" alt=\"In 4 months, UP judge sentences 22 to death; rulings ignite debate over 'rarest of rare' doctrine\" title=\"A lawyer said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"A lawyer said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d\">A lawyer said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>AGRA: Additional district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who first came into national spotlight after ordering the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi in 2022, has awarded death sentences to 22 convicts in 10 cases since taking charge in Muzaffarnagar, bringing renewed attention to his record in capital punishment cases.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>With 13 earlier death sentences during his Bareilly posting, the total number of convicts awarded death penalty by him so far stands at 35.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>The first set of death sentences in Muzaffarnagar came on April 6, when three convicts in the murder of advocate Sameer Saifi were awarded capital punishment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>On April 28, four members of a family \u2014 a woman and her three sons \u2014 were sentenced to death in another murder case. One convict received the death penalty on May 30, followed by two on June 20. <!-- -->In July, one convict was sentenced to death on July 2, two on July 6 and four more on July 17. In Aug, one convict was awarded capital punishment on Aug 12 and four more on Aug 13.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/>Among the cases in which the death penalty was invoked were the murder of a home guard on duty in 2020, and a 2011 highway robbery-murder case in which four men were sentenced to death last month.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>The judge\u2019s death sentences during his Bareilly tenure included eight members of Chaimar Hassen gang who were sentenced to death in a 2014 triple murder and dacoity case.The rapid pace and severity of these judgments have ignited debate about application of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 doctrine while awarding capital punishment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>A lawyer, who did not wish to be named, said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done after much deliberation, and keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>Muzaffarnagar-based prison rights activist, Nadir Rana, said the verdicts have given families of victims \u201ca sense of justice and strengthened their faith in judiciary.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>Notably, under section 407(1) of BNSS, every death sentence passed by a sessions court must be sent to high court for confirmation and cannot be carried out unless high court ratifies it.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>Diwakar\u2019s name first entered national conversation during his tenure as civil judge, senior division, in Varanasi. In May 2022, he ordered a court-monitored videographic survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in a suit filed by five Hindu women seeking worship rights at the Shringar Gauri site. During the survey on May 16, 2022, a cylindrical object was found in the wuzukhana; Hindu petitioners claimed it was a Shivling, while the Muslim side disputed the claim.<!-- --> The area was later sealed, and Supreme Court subsequently transferred the proceedings to Varanasi district judge.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>Diwakar\u2019s earlier postings included Azamgarh, Sultanpur, Budaun and Varanasi. He later served in Bareilly and Chitrakoot before joining Muzaffarnagar on Nov 29, 2025.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>In June 2022, after the Gyanvapi order, the judge reported receiving a handwritten threat letter purportedly from Islamic Aagaz Movement, following which police reviewed his security. <!-- -->While posted in Chitrakoot in 2025, he sought enhanced residential security, again citing threats connected with the case.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>Diwakar also drew scrutiny in March 2024 while serving as additional sessions judge, fast track court, in Bareilly, after he praised UP CM <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/yogi-adityanath\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yogi Adityanath<\/a> in an order linked to the 2010 Bareilly riots case.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>The order, issued while summoning cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, said a religious person in power gives \u201cvery good results\u201d and described Adityanath as an example of Plato\u2019s \u201cphilosopher king\u201d concept. Allahabad high court later expunged the remarks, calling them \u201cunwarranted expressions containing political overtones\u201d.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/agra\/22-death-sentences-in-4-months-up-district-judge-of-gyanvapi-survey-fame-in-spotlight-again-for-capital-punishment-orders\/articleshow\/133279655.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A lawyer said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d AGRA: Additional district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who first came into national spotlight after ordering the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi in 2022, has awarded death sentences [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/representat.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"A lawyer said that \u201cawarding of a death sentence should be done keeping the sanctity of the \u2018rarest of rare\u2019 principle in mind.\u201d AGRA: Additional district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who first came into national spotlight after ordering the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi in 2022, has awarded death sentences [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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