the Madras High Court in India commuted the death sentence of a man, identified

the Madras High Court in India commuted the death sentence of a man, identified as Rajan, in a case of armed robbery and murder in the Tiruvannamalai district.
The sentence awarded by a lower court was commuted to life imprisonment, and the conviction and sentence imposed on another in the same case was confirmed, while a third person was acquitted.
The prosecution alleged a gang of 12 struck at a house at Reddiarpalayam. Posing as income tax officials, they looted Rs.21,900 before escaping in a van. On information, the police and the public put up road blockades. Rajan fired at the crowd with a gun, killing three people and seriously injuring four others. Rajan, Mohan and Sekar filed appeals before the High Court challenging the judgment of the Principal Sessions Judge. The Bench of Justices D. Murugesan and V. Periya Karuppiah said the trial court had not explained that Rajan’s case was the rarest of rare cases and therefore commuted his death sentence to life.