Overview
- A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Dr Neela Gokhale upheld Sajjad Mugal Pathan’s 2014 conviction and rejected his appeal against the verdict.
- Appeals by the Maharashtra government and the victim’s father seeking a death sentence were dismissed after the court ruled the case did not qualify for capital punishment.
- The court directed that the life sentence be served for the remainder of Pathan’s natural life without parole or furlough, citing his conduct after being released on parole.
- Judges said the prosecution proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt through a consistent chain of circumstantial and forensic evidence, including DNA links, recovered keys, and a blood-stained knife.
- The case record shows Pathan, a building security guard, cut power to gain access, attempted a sexual assault, and fatally stabbed the 25-year-old lawyer in her Wadala flat in August 2012.