Overview

• The Supreme Court directed framing of murder charges under Section 302 IPC against four accused in the 2024 honour killing of Zia-ur Rahman in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
• The court overturned earlier decisions by the Saharanpur trial court and Allahabad High Court, which had applied the milder charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 IPC.
• Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna described the killing as a clear case of honour killing, citing 10 ante-mortem injuries and the victim's interfaith relationship as the motive.
• The Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary has been instructed to appoint a special public prosecutor in consultation with the victim’s father, Ayub Ali, to ensure fair trial proceedings.
• The accused—Janeshar, Maneshar, Priyanshu, and Shivam—will remain out on bail until their fresh bail pleas are adjudicated following the reclassification of charges.