Insanity/mental illness/schizophrenia is supervening circumstances for commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment

 The three-Judge Bench in Shatrughan Chauhan
(supra) held that insanity/mental illness/schizophrenia is
also one of the supervening circumstances for commutation
of death sentence to life imprisonment. By applying the
principle enunciated in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra), the
accused cannot be executed with the said health condition.
14) In the light of the above discussion and also in view of
the ratio laid down in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra), we
deem it fit to commute the death sentence imposed on
Devender Pal Singh Bhullar into life imprisonment both on
the ground of unexplained/inordinate delay of 8 years in
disposal of mercy petition and on the ground of insanity.
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
INHERENT JURISDICTION
CURATIVE PETITION (CRIMINAL) NO. 88 OF 2013
IN
REVIEW PETITION (CRIMINAL) NO. 435 OF 2013
IN
WRIT PETITION (CRIMINAL) NO. 146 OF 2011
Navneet Kaur ... Petitioner(s)
versus
State of NCT of Delhi & Anr. ... Respondent(s)

P.Sathasivam, CJI.

1) Navneet Kaur w/o Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, filed the
present Curative Petition against the dismissal of Review
Petition (Criminal) No.435 of 2013 in Writ Petition (Criminal)
No. 146 of 2011 on 13.08.2013, wherein she prayed for
setting aside the death sentence imposed upon Devender
Pal Singh Bhullar by commuting the same to imprisonment
for life on the ground of supervening circumstance of delay

of 8 years in disposal of mercy petition.
2) Considering the limited issue involved, there is no need to
traverse all the factual details. The brief background of the
case is: By judgment dated 25.08.2001, Devender Pal Singh
Bhullar was sentenced to death by the Designated Judge,
Delhi. Thereafter, he preferred an appeal being Criminal
Appeal No. 993 of 2001 before this Court and by judgment
dated 22.03.2002, this Court confirmed the death sentence
and dismissed his appeal. Against the dismissal of the
appeal by this Court, the accused preferred Review Petition
(Criminal) No. 497 of 2002, which was also dismissed by this
Court on 17.12.2002.
3) Soon after the dismissal of the review petition, the
accused submitted a mercy petition dated 14.01.2003 to the
President of India under Article 72 of the Constitution and
prayed for commutation of his sentence. During the
pendency of the petition filed under Article 72, he also filed
Curative Petition (Criminal) No. 5 of 2003 which was also
dismissed by this Court on 12.03.2003.
4) On 30.05.2011, a communication was sent from the Joint
Secretary (Judicial) to the Principal Secretary, Home

Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, stating that the
President of India has rejected the mercy petition submitted
on behalf of Devender Pal Singh Bhullar. The same was also
communicated to the Superintendent, Central Jail No. 3,
Tihar Jail, New Delhi on 13.06.2011.
5) On 24.06.2011, the wife of the accused (petitioner herein)
preferred a Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 146 of 2011 before
this Court praying for quashing the communication dated
13.06.2011. By order dated 12.04.2013, this Court, after
examining and analyzing the materials brought on record by
the respondents, arrived at the conclusion that there was an
unreasonable delay of 8 years in disposal of mercy petition,
which is one of the grounds for commutation of death
sentence to life imprisonment as per the established judicial
precedents. However, this Court dismissed the writ petition
on the ground that when the accused is convicted under
TADA, there is no question of showing any sympathy or
considering supervening circumstances for commutation of
death sentence.
6) Aggrieved by the said dismissal, the wife of the accused
preferred Review Petition being (Criminal) No. 435 of 2013

which was also dismissed by this Court on 13.08.2013.
Subsequently, the wife of the accused, petitioner herein has
filed the above Curative Petition for consideration by this
Court.
7) Heard Mr. KTS Tulsi, learned senior counsel appearing on
behalf of the petitioner and Mr. G.E. Vahanvati, learned
Attorney General for India appearing on behalf of the
respondents.
8) Very recently, a three-Judge Bench of this Court, in Writ
Petition (Criminal) No. 55 of 2013 Etc., titled Shatrughan
Chauhan & Anr. vs. Union of India & Ors., 2014 (1)
SCALE 437, by order dated 21.01.2014, commuted the
sentence of death imposed on the petitioners therein to
imprisonment for life which has a crucial bearing for deciding
the petition at hand. In the aforesaid verdict, this Court
validated the established principle and held that
unexplained/unreasonable/inordinate delay in disposal of
mercy petition is one of the supervening circumstances for
commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment.
9) While deciding the aforesaid issue in the above decision,
the Bench was simultaneously called upon to decide a

specific issue viz., whether is there a rationality in
distinguishing between an offence under Indian Penal Code,
1860 and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act
for considering the supervening circumstance for
commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment, which
was the point of law decided in Writ Petition (Criminal) No.
146 of 2011.
10) The larger Bench in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra),
after taking note of various aspects including the
constitutional right under Article 21 as well as the decision
rendered by the Constitution Bench in Triveniben vs. State
of Gujarat (1988) 4 SCC 574, held:
“57) From the analysis of the arguments of both the
counsel, we are of the view that only delay which could
not have been avoided even if the matter was proceeded
with a sense of urgency or was caused in essential
preparations for execution of sentence may be the
relevant factors under such petitions in Article 32.
Considerations such as the gravity of the crime,
extraordinary cruelty involved therein or some horrible
consequences for society caused by the offence are not
relevant after the Constitution Bench ruled in Bachan
Singh vs. State of Punjab (1980) 2 SCC 684 that the
sentence of death can only be imposed in the rarest of
rare cases. Meaning, of course, all death sentences
imposed are impliedly the most heinous and barbaric and
rarest of its kind. The legal effect of the extraordinary
depravity of the offence exhausts itself when court
sentences the person to death for that offence. Law does
not prescribe an additional period of imprisonment in
addition to the sentence of death for any such exceptional
depravity involved in the offence.

58) As rightly pointed out by Mr. Ram Jethmalani, it is open
to the legislature in its wisdom to decide by enacting an
appropriate law that a certain fixed period of
imprisonment in addition to the sentence of death can be
imposed in some well defined cases but the result cannot
be accomplished by a judicial decision alone. The
unconstitutionality of this additional incarceration is itself
inexorable and must not be treated as dispensable
through a judicial decision.”
*** *** ***
“64) In the light of the same, we are of the view that the
ratio laid down in Devender Pal Singh Bhullar (supra)
is per incuriam. There is no dispute that in the same
decision this Court has accepted the ratio enunciated in
Triveniben (supra) (Constitution Bench) and also noted
some other judgments following the ratio laid down in
those cases that unexplained long delay may be one of
the grounds for commutation of sentence of death into life
imprisonment. There is no good reason to disqualify all
TADA cases as a class from relief on account of delay in
execution of death sentence. Each case requires
consideration on its own facts.”
*** *** ***
“70) Taking guidance from the above principles and in the
light of the ratio enunciated in Triveniben (Supra), we
are of the view that unexplained delay is one of the
grounds for commutation of sentence of death into life
imprisonment and the said supervening circumstance is
applicable to all types of cases including the offences
under TADA. The only aspect the Courts have to satisfy is
that the delay must be unreasonable and unexplained or
inordinate at the hands of the executive. The argument of
Mr. Luthra, learned ASG that a distinction can be drawn
between IPC and non-IPC offences since the nature of the
offence is a relevant factor is liable to be rejected at the
outset. In view of our conclusion, we are unable to share
the views expressed in Devender Pal Singh Bhullar
(supra).”
11) Learned Attorney General, taking note of the conclusion
arrived at in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra) wherein this
Court held that the ratio laid down in Devender Pal Singh
6
Page 7
Bhullar vs. State (NCT) of Delhi (2013) 6 SCC 195 is per
incuriam, fairly admitted that applying the said principle as
enunciated in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra), death
sentence awarded to Devender Pal Singh Bhullar is liable to
be commuted to life imprisonment. We appreciate the
rationale stand taken by learned Attorney General and
accept the same.
12) In addition, it is also brought to our notice by letter dated
08.02.2014, which was received by the Registry on
12.02.2014 from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied
Sciences, that the accused Devender Pal Singh Bhullar was
examined by the Standing Medical Board on 05.02.2014 and
the Board opined as under:
“1.The patient has been diagnosed with Severe
Depression with Psychotic features (Treatment Refractory
Depression) with Hypertension with Dyslipidemia with
Lumbo-cervical Spondylosis with Mild Prostatomegaly.
2. He is currently receiving Anti-Depressant, Anti-
Psychotic, Anti-anxiety, Anti-Hypertensives,
Hypolipedemic, Anit-Convulsant (for Neuropathic pain) and
Antacid drugs in adequate doses along with supportive
psychotherapy and physiotherapy.
3. Patient has shown partial and inconsistent response to
the treatment with significant fluctuations in the severity
of his clinical condition.
4.The treatment comprising of various combinations of
pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments
have brought about partial and inconsistent improvement
in his clinical condition in the last three years of

hospitalization. The scope for effective treatment options
is limited and thereby the chances of his recovery remain
doubtful in the future course of his illness”.
The above report has been signed by the Director &
Chairman as well as four Members of the Medical Board. The
report clearly shows that he is suffering from acute mental
illness.
13) The three-Judge Bench in Shatrughan Chauhan
(supra) held that insanity/mental illness/schizophrenia is
also one of the supervening circumstances for commutation
of death sentence to life imprisonment. By applying the
principle enunciated in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra), the
accused cannot be executed with the said health condition.
14) In the light of the above discussion and also in view of
the ratio laid down in Shatrughan Chauhan (supra), we
deem it fit to commute the death sentence imposed on
Devender Pal Singh Bhullar into life imprisonment both on
the ground of unexplained/inordinate delay of 8 years in
disposal of mercy petition and on the ground of insanity. To
this extent, the Curative Petition stands allowed.
……………………….…………………………CJI.
(P. SATHASIVAM)
………………………….…………………………J.
(R. M. LODHA)
8
Page 9
………………………….…………………………J.
(H.L. DATTU)
………………………….…………………………J.
(SUDHANSU JYOTI MUKHOPADHAYA)
NEW DELHI;
MARCH 31, 2014.
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