New Delhi: The Supreme Court today stayed the death sentence awarded to three AIADMK activists in the Dharmapuri bus burning case in which three girl students of an Agricultural University were burnt alive in February 2000.

A Bench comprising Justices P P Naolekar and L S Panta admitted the petition filed by the three accused challenging the Madras High Court verdict upholding the trial court decision on their conviction and sentence. The Bench also issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government asking it to place before it the records of the trial court expeditiously.

The High Court on December 6 last had confirmed the conviction and death sentence awarded by a Sessions Court in Salem on February 15, 2006 to Nedunchezhian, Ravindran and C Muniappan holding that there was "unassailable evidence" against them.

The High Court had said "any lesser punishment would not meet the ends of justice." The High Court had also upheld the conviction of 25 other accused, who were awarded seven years imprisonment by the trial court. However, it had modified the sentences to the effect that they ran concurrently and not consecutively as held by the trial court.

A Tamil Nadu Agricultural University bus was set on fire in Dharmapuri by AIADMK activists protesting a judgement by a special court convicting and sentencing former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and party chief J Jayalalithaa to one year jail term in the Pleasant Stay Hotel case.

Source : PTI