The Supreme Court is seized of yet another death penalty matter, this time from Chhattisgarh.

A 3-judge Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar today stayed the death penalty awarded to a husband-wife duo and granted leave in a case of alleged human sacrifice.

Senior Advocate Rebecca John along with advocates Liz Mathew, Ninni Susan Thomas, Philip Mathew, Nicey Paulson, Waheb Hussain, Kabir Dixit and Yash S Vijay appeared for the petitioners.

The factual matrix of the case involves some distressing allegations against the convicts. It is alleged that the two main accused, Ishwari Lal Yadav and her wife Kiran Bai used to indulge in Tantirism. The wife had asked the husband and other co-accused to get a small child for sacrifice. Chirag Rajput, the two year old child of the immediate neighbours was kidnapped and was allegedly killed in a gruesome manner.

The Sessions Court had sentenced the husband-wife duo and five others to death for the crime. The Chhattisgarh High Court had confirmed the death penalty of the husband and the wife but reduced the sentence of the co-accused.

The husband and wife have challenged the decision of the High Court in Supreme Court.

The Court today issued notice in the matter and stayed the execution of the appellants. The Court also directed that the matter be listed before appropriate Bench on November 28.