The Supreme Court has granted relief to a woman convicted of killing her two daughters in Chhattisgarh, modifying her conviction from murder to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The case, which involved the tragic deaths of her two young daughters, aged 3 and 5, took a turn when the Supreme Court considered the possibility of a temporary lapse in judgment, potentially bordering on temporary insanity.

The incident occurred in 2015 when the woman, an Anganwadi worker, attacked her daughters with an iron crowbar. Following the act, she cried inconsolably and claimed to be under the influence of "invisible powers". While the trial court and the High Court convicted her of murder, sentencing her to life imprisonment, the Supreme Court took a different view after the woman appealed, arguing she was not in a proper mental state at the time of the killings.

Justices B.V. Nagarathna and N. Kotiswar Singh of the Supreme Court acknowledged the absence of a clear motive for the crime. They also recognized the woman's claim of acting under the influence of an "invisible power". Justice Singh noted that the "invisible powers" could indicate a temporary medical condition, leading the court to convert the conviction to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 part II of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court also considered that she had been in jail for nearly 10 years and ordered her release.

The Supreme Court bench highlighted the prevalence of superstition in rural areas and suggested that the woman may have been experiencing a mental health crisis that was misinterpreted as possession by "invisible powers". The court emphasized that trial courts and High Courts should inquire into the mental soundness of the accused in such bizarre incidents before concluding and imposing murder charges.

The court stated that the circumstances of the case cast doubt on the intention of the accused to commit the crime. They found that the prosecution had not proven the "intention of causing death". The only explanation for her strange and inexplicable behavior was that she suffered from an impaired mental condition, which she described as "invisible powers". While there was no medical proof of mental illness, her behavior was strange, unexplained, and showed signs of mental instability. There was no motive, no attempt to flee, and she kept crying and repeating that she had killed her children. The court said this raised doubts about her intention, and that the absence of motive supports a possible insanity claim.

The Supreme Court's decision underscores the importance of considering mental health and the influence of superstition in criminal cases, particularly in rural settings. It also highlights the court's role in ensuring justice is served by carefully examining the evidence and circumstances surrounding a crime.