3 Things Death row acquittals, Bharat Taxi, and compensation in fraud cases
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Feb 9, 2026 Apurva Vishwanath, legal affairs editor with expertise in criminal justice, discusses a study on death row acquittals and procedural safeguards. Devansh Mittal, reporter who explains Bharat Taxi’s cooperative, driver-owned business model. Brendan Dabhi, reporter who covers the pilot rollout, driver reactions and operational challenges. They also touch on proposed RBI rules for compensation in fraud cases.
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Mandatory Pre-Sentencing Reports
- Trial courts must obtain psychological evaluations, probation reports and prison conduct records before imposing death.
- The Supreme Court declared sentences without these reports unconstitutional in 2025.
High Acquittal Rates On Appeal
- Over the past decade 1,310 death sentences were imposed; High Courts heard 842 and confirmed only 70.
- Many trial convictions collapse on appellate scrutiny, highlighting systemic trial weaknesses.
Court-Legislature Divergence
- Trial courts continue to hand down many death sentences while legislatures expand capital offences.
- This divergence encourages 'trigger-happy' prosecutions despite appellate restraint.