“BEYOND THE WORDS: RECONSTRUCTING THE VERDICT OF DEATH PENALTY IN DHANANJOY CHATTERJEE”

AUTHOR – SARANYA CHAKRABORTY, BA. LLB. (HONS), ST XAVIER’S UNIVERSITY, KOLKATA

BEST CITATION – SARANYA CHAKRABORTY, “BEYOND THE WORDS: RECONSTRUCTING THE VERDICT OF DEATH PENALTY IN DHANANJOY CHATTERJEE”, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (7) OF 2026, PG. 01-05, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

The execution of Dhananjoy Chatterjee in 2004 raised solicitude regarding the administration of the very criminal justice in India. Convicted for the rape and murder of Hetal Parekh, Chatterjee reportedly maintained his innocence until the eleventh hour , declaring “Ami nirdosh” (I am innocent). This assertion has continued to fuel debate regarding the fairness and integrity of his trial.

At the centre of the controversy is the issue of whether Chatterjee was given a fair trial, particularly given the alleged inadequate legal representation and procedural mishaps. Critics have argued that the proceedings were rushed and the evidence presented did not prove his guilt beyond doubt. This has raised a lot of doubts against the verdict and the entire judicial process when it comes to capital punishment. Despite these criticisms, the execution went ahead, and thus, left the issue of judicial error in death penalty cases unaddressed. This analysis will try to look at this facts and legal processes around it to determine whether there could have been any procedural lapses or shortcoming on the system that is in place that led to such an outcome. These issues are central to any consideration of the role of legal counsel, the media, and the reforms necessary for the criminal justice system in India, especially in cases involving the irreversible sanction of the death penalty.