The Punjab and Haryana High Court commuted a man's death sentence for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl to life imprisonment without remission, citing the murder as an act of panic to destroy evidence rather than premeditation. The court also acquitted the convict's mother, noting that while her actions to shield her son were morally questionable and indicative of a patriarchal 'Raja Beta' mindset, there was insufficient legal evidence to convict her. The court emphasized the need to protect other children and women from such offenders.