Punjab and Haryana HC Quashes Conviction, Orders Retrial in 5-Year-Old's Rape-Murder Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed the conviction and death sentence of a 27-year-old plumber accused of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl in Jhajjar in 2020, citing serious procedural lapses in the trial. The court found critical defects in recording the accused's statement under Section 313 of the CrPC, which denied him a fair opportunity to respond to evidence. The case has been sent back to the sessions court for a fresh hearing and judgment, with instructions to expedite the trial balancing speedy and fair justice.