Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh

Hello, friends. In today's article, we will delve into the case of Shabnam vs UP State. The mere mention of this case sends shivers down the spine, and it is said that even today, in the village where this tragic incident occurred, parents refrain from naming their children Shabnam.

The Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh case is one of the most gruesome and controversial murder cases in India’s legal history. It involved a brutal family massacre in 2008, where Shabnam, along with her lover Salim, murdered seven members of her own family. The case gained national attention due to its shocking nature, legal complexity, and the Supreme Court’s decision to award the death penalty.

Background of the Case: Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh

The Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh case is one of India’s most shocking family murder cases, involving betrayal, conspiracy, and a gruesome crime driven by love and social opposition.

📅 Date of Incident: April 14-15, 2008

📍 Location: Bawankhedi village, Amroha district, Uttar Pradesh

Main Accused:

Shabnam – A well-educated woman from a respected family, working as a schoolteacher.
Salim – A laborer from the same village, with whom Shabnam was in a secret relationship.

What Led to the Crime?

Shabnam, a postgraduate in English and Geography, belonged to a well-educated and influential family. She fell in love with Salim, a man from a lower socio-economic background, which her family strongly opposed.

Her family did not approve of the relationship because:

Caste and Social Status: Shabnam belonged to a higher social class, while Salim was a daily wage laborer.
Financial Stability: Her family believed Salim was unworthy of their daughter.
Family Honor: The relationship was seen as a disgrace to their status in society.

Facing opposition, Shabnam and Salim plotted to kill her entire family so they could be together and take control of her family’s property.

The Brutal Crime

🔪 Night of the Massacre (April 14-15, 2008):

Shabnam sedated her family members by mixing sleeping pills in their milk.
Once everyone was unconscious, she and Salim entered the house.
Salim used an axe to slit the throats of all seven members while Shabnam held them down.

Victims:

Shaukat Ali – Shabnam’s father
Hashmi – Her mother
Anees – Her elder brother
Anjum – Her brother’s wife
Rashid – Her younger brother
Rabia – Her cousin
Arsalan – A 10-month-old nephew (the youngest victim)

Even the infant was not spared, as his throat was also slit.

How Were They Caught?

📌 Suspicion and Initial Investigation:

Shabnam initially pretended to be a grieving daughter and claimed that unknown attackers had killed her family.
However, her inconsistent statements and lack of grief raised suspicion.

📌 Breakthrough in the Case:

Police found no signs of forced entry, indicating it was an inside job.
Shabnam’s phone records revealed frequent calls to Salim on the night of the murder.
Salim’s confession led to the discovery of the murder weapon (axe) hidden in a nearby field.

📌 Motive Revealed:

The police concluded that the murders were planned so that Shabnam and Salim could be together and inherit her family’s property.

Public and Media Reaction

The case shocked the entire nation, as it was rare for a daughter to kill her entire family. The brutality, premeditation, and betrayal made it one of the most high-profile criminal cases in India.

Media Coverage:

National media called it one of the most horrifying cases of family murders in India.
The public was divided on whether she deserved the death penalty or life imprisonment.

The Shabnam case is a tragic example of how love and family disputes can turn deadly. It highlights the complexities of human emotions, societal pressure, and crime. The case remains a landmark in Indian criminal justice, setting a precedent for how courts deal with cold-blooded murders involving family betrayal.

The incident took place about 13 years ago, on April 14, 2008, in Bawan Khedi, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. Shabnam, then 25 years old, hailed from a family of eight. Her father, a school teacher, and Shabnam herself, a double MA degree holder, also engaged in teaching.

However, Shabnam was entangled in a complicated affair with Salim, an eighth-grade graduate. When Shabnam revealed her pregnancy and the affair to her family, they reacted with anger. Subsequently, Shabnam, in conspiracy with Salim, mixed sleeping medicine into their family's food, rendering them unconscious.

In the dead of night on April 14, Salim joined Shabnam at her home, where they gruesomely murdered seven family members with an axe. They didn't spare Shabnam's 10-month-old nephew, strangling him to death. Following the crime, Salim fled, but Shabnam remained, feigning innocence and claiming an unknown assailant committed the gruesome act.

Within a week of investigations, the police uncovered Shabnam and Salim's involvement, leading to their arrest. In 2008, both were sentenced to death by the Amroha Sessions Court, a verdict upheld by the Allahabad High Court in 2013 and the Supreme Court in 2015. In jail, Shabnam gave birth to a son in 2008.

Despite filing mercy petitions in 2015 and 2016 to the Governor of Uttar Pradesh and President Pranab Mukherjee respectively, Shabnam's pleas were rejected. In January 2020, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice SJ Bobde affirmed the death sentence.

This encapsulates the tragic case of Shabnam vs UP State.

Read Full Details of the Case: Click Here

Legal Proceedings

Legal Proceedings in the Case of Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh

The legal journey of Shabnam and Salim is a landmark case in India's criminal justice system. It involved multiple levels of judicial scrutiny, from the trial court to the Supreme Court and even a mercy petition before the President of India.

1️⃣ Trial Court (Sessions Court) – 2010

The Amroha Sessions Court was the first to hear the case against Shabnam and Salim. After examining the evidence, witnesses, and forensic reports, the court delivered its verdict on July 15, 2010, convicting them of seven murders and sentencing them to death.

Charges Against Shabnam and Salim:

✔️ Murder (Section 302, IPC) – Killing seven family members, including a 10-month-old infant.
✔️ Criminal Conspiracy (Section 120B, IPC) – Planning and executing the murders together.
✔️ Destruction of Evidence (Section 201, IPC) – Attempting to mislead the police by staging the crime scene.

Key Evidence Considered by the Court:

🔹 Confession & Statements of Witnesses – Police investigations and forensic reports revealed that Shabnam and Salim conspired together to eliminate her family, as they opposed their relationship.
🔹 Post-Mortem Reports – Confirmed that all seven victims were strangled, and some were attacked with an axe while they were asleep.
🔹 Call Records & Letters – Showed constant communication between Shabnam and Salim, proving their conspiracy.
🔹 Forensic Evidence – The axe used in the murder was recovered, with Salim's fingerprints on it.
🔹 Shabnam’s Attempt to Mislead Police – Initially, she pretended that unknown attackers killed her family, but the investigation proved otherwise.

Court’s Reasoning for the Death Sentence:

✔️ "Rarest of Rare Case" Doctrine – The court ruled that the crime was exceptionally brutal, as it involved betrayal, conspiracy, and the merciless killing of an infant.
✔️ No Remorse from the Accused – Shabnam and Salim showed no guilt or regret, making rehabilitation impossible.
✔️ Nature of the Crime – The gruesome and premeditated nature of the killings justified the harshest punishment.

Final Verdict by the Sessions Court (2010):

Both Shabnam and Salim were convicted and sentenced to death.
The court called it one of the most shocking cases of family betrayal.
The verdict was later challenged in Allahabad High Court (2013), but the death sentence was upheld.

🔴 This was the first time in Independent India that a woman (Shabnam) was sentenced to death for murdering her own family.

2️⃣ Allahabad High Court (2013) – Confirmation of Death Penalty

After being sentenced to death by the Amroha Sessions Court in 2010, Shabnam and Salim appealed their conviction and death sentence in the Allahabad High Court. However, the High Court upheld the trial court’s verdict and confirmed the death penalty.

Key Observations by the Allahabad High Court:

✔️ "Rarest of Rare Case" Doctrine – The court ruled that the brutal murder of seven family members, including a 10-month-old baby, met the criteria of a "rarest of rare" case, justifying the death penalty.

✔️ Motive and Premeditation – The court rejected any possibility of a lesser sentence, stating that Shabnam and Salim carefully planned and executed the murders, eliminating their entire family to be together.

✔️ Cruelty and Betrayal – The judges highlighted how Shabnam betrayed her own family, including her parents, brothers, and even an infant nephew. The gruesome nature of the crime, especially the killing of an innocent child, made it unpardonable.

✔️ No Scope for Reform – The High Court concluded that the gravity of the crime and the betrayal of trust left no room for rehabilitation, making the death penalty the only just punishment.

Final Verdict by the Allahabad High Court (2013)

The court dismissed the appeal of Shabnam and Salim, affirming their conviction and death sentence.
It ruled that their act was cold-blooded, premeditated, and driven by selfish motives, leaving no doubt about their guilt.

Following this, Shabnam and Salim filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the verdict. However, the Supreme Court also upheld their death sentence in 2015.

3️⃣ Supreme Court (2015) – Final Appeal and Rejection

After the Allahabad High Court upheld the death sentence in 2013, Shabnam and Salim appealed to the Supreme Court of India in an effort to overturn their conviction and sentence. However, the Supreme Court, in its judgment dated May 15, 2015, dismissed their appeal and reaffirmed the death penalty.

Key Observations by the Supreme Court:

✔️ Crime of Extreme Brutality – The Supreme Court noted that Shabnam and Salim killed seven family members in cold blood, including a 10-month-old infant, making it one of the most heinous crimes in India’s history.

✔️ Premeditated & Cold-Blooded Murder – The Court rejected the argument of emotional distress or sudden provocation, stating that the murders were carefully planned and executed while the victims were asleep, making it a fully premeditated crime.

✔️ Abuse of Family Trust – The Court highlighted that Shabnam betrayed her own family, drugged them, and then assisted Salim in killing them one by one. This act of treachery made the case even more severe.

✔️ "Rarest of Rare" Doctrine – The Supreme Court reaffirmed that this case qualified as one of the "rarest of rare" cases, warranting the death penalty. The nature of the crime was so shocking that it demanded the harshest punishment to deter future crimes.

✔️ No Scope for Reform – The Court ruled that the brutality and betrayal displayed by the accused showed no possibility of reform, and therefore, life imprisonment would be inadequate.

Final Verdict by the Supreme Court (2015):

The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for both Shabnam and Salim.
The Court ruled that mercy in such cases would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the justice system.
The judgment reinforced that justice must be served for the victims, who included parents, siblings, and a helpless infant.

After this, Shabnam and Salim filed a review petition in 2020, but the Supreme Court again rejected it, making the death sentence final.

4️⃣ Review Petition in Supreme Court (2020) – Rejected Again

After the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in 2015, Shabnam and Salim filed a review petition in 2020, seeking reconsideration of their punishment. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the review plea, reaffirming the death penalty for both convicts.

Key Arguments in the Review Petition:

✔️ Plea for Leniency: Shabnam’s lawyers argued that she was a woman and a mother, and executing her would be too harsh, as no woman had been hanged in independent India.
✔️ Possibility of Reform: The petition claimed that Shabnam had spent years in jail and shown signs of reformation, and therefore, a life sentence should be considered instead of capital punishment.
✔️ Mitigating Factors: The defense also argued that the crime was a result of emotional turmoil and that a lesser punishment should be given.

Supreme Court’s Rejection of the Review Petition:

✔️ No New Evidence: The court found no new grounds to reconsider the case, stating that all arguments had already been reviewed during the original appeal.
✔️ Severity of the Crime: The Court ruled that the crime was exceptionally brutal, involving betrayal and the killing of innocent victims, including a child.
✔️ "Rarest of Rare" Case Stands: The Supreme Court reaffirmed that this case met the criteria of "rarest of rare" and did not warrant any leniency.
✔️ Public Interest and Justice: The Court emphasized that the gruesome nature of the crime justified the death sentence, and mercy in such cases could send a wrong message to society.

Final Verdict by the Supreme Court (2020):

The review petition was dismissed, confirming that Shabnam and Salim would face execution.
The Court ruled that there was no valid reason to reconsider the punishment, as the crime was deliberate, cruel, and premeditated.
With this rejection, Shabnam became the first woman in Independent India to face execution.

After this, Shabnam filed a mercy petition with the President of India, which was also rejected. The execution of her death sentence now depends on the final legal and administrative procedures.

5️⃣ Mercy Petition Before the President (2021) – Rejected

After failing to get relief from the Supreme Court in 2020, Shabnam filed a mercy petition before the President of India in 2021, seeking commutation of her death sentence to life imprisonment. However, President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the petition, sealing her fate as the first woman to be executed in Independent India.

Key Arguments in the Mercy Petition:

✔️ Gender and Reform Argument:
Shabnam’s lawyers argued that she was a woman and a mother, and her execution would set a rare and unprecedented case in India. They pleaded for a life sentence instead of the death penalty, citing her conduct in prison and the possibility of rehabilitation.

✔️ Humanitarian Grounds:
The petition emphasized that she had already spent over a decade in jail, had a young son, and had shown good behavior inside prison.

✔️ Emotional & Psychological Distress:
Her defense claimed that she committed the crime under emotional distress and pressure due to her family’s opposition to her relationship with Salim.

Reasons for Rejection by the President:

✔️ Extreme Brutality of the Crime:
The President ruled that the nature of the crime was exceptionally horrific, involving the mass murder of her own family, including a 10-month-old baby, purely for personal motives.

✔️ "Rarest of Rare" Standard Upheld:
The rejection was based on the Supreme Court’s observation that mercy in such cases would weaken the justice system.

✔️ No Signs of Remorse:
The government’s review of her prison records did not indicate any genuine remorse for her crime, making her ineligible for clemency.

✔️ Deterrence Against Similar Crimes:
The rejection also served as a deterrent to prevent future cases of familial murder for selfish gains.

Final Outcome (2021):

President Ram Nath Kovind officially rejected the mercy petition.
With all legal remedies exhausted, the execution warrant was issued for Mathura Jail, where India's only female execution chamber exists.
Shabnam is now set to become the first woman to be hanged in Independent India.

Her only remaining hope was a last-minute intervention from the Governor or a fresh petition to the Supreme Court, but the chances of reversal remained extremely low.

6️⃣ First Woman to Face the Death Penalty in Independent India?

Yes, Shabnam Ali is set to become the first woman to be executed in Independent India after exhausting all legal remedies, including a mercy petition before the President. Her case has garnered significant national attention due to the gruesome nature of the crime and its legal implications.

Why is Shabnam Facing the Death Penalty?

Shabnam, along with her lover Salim, was convicted of the cold-blooded murder of seven members of her own family in April 2008 in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. The murders were planned because her family opposed her relationship with Salim.

✔️ She drugged her family members and assisted Salim in slitting their throats with an axe.
✔️ The victims included her parents, siblings, and a 10-month-old nephew.
✔️ The motive was to eliminate obstacles to her marriage with Salim.

Legal Journey Leading to Execution

2010 – Sessions Court sentenced both Shabnam and Salim to death.
2013 – Allahabad High Court upheld the death penalty.
2015 – Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence, citing the crime as a “rarest of rare” case.
2020 – Review Petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
2021 – Mercy Petition before the President was rejected, confirming her execution.

Where Will Shabnam Be Hanged?

✔️ Mathura Jail, Uttar Pradesh, which houses India’s only female execution chamber.
✔️ No woman has been hanged since Independence, making this a historic execution.
✔️ The last woman to be executed in India was Rattan Bai Jain in 1955 (before Independence).

Current Status:

✔️ With no legal relief left, Shabnam’s execution warrant can be issued anytime.
✔️ If hanged, she will become the first woman in Independent India to be executed.
✔️ The case continues to be debated for its legal, social, and ethical implications.

Current Status (Latest Development)

As of March 2025, Shabnam Ali remains on death row in India, having exhausted all legal avenues, including a mercy petition rejected by the President in 2021. Despite earlier reports in 2021 indicating that preparations were underway for her execution, there have been no official updates regarding the scheduling or carrying out of her death sentence. Consequently, Shabnam has not been executed and continues to await her fate in prison.

In 2021, her then 12-year-old son, Mohammad Taj, appealed to the President for clemency, but this plea did not alter the course of her sentencing.

Given the lack of recent developments, Shabnam Ali's execution has not been carried out, and she remains incarcerated on death row.

The case of Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh stands as a landmark judgment in India’s legal history. The judicial system has upheld the principles of justice and deterrence by confirming the death penalty at every stage. The case also sets a precedent for dealing with family murders and crimes driven by personal motives.

Significance of the Case

The Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh case is significant for multiple reasons. It marks the first instance where a woman in Independent India has been sentenced to death, making it a landmark legal case. If carried out, Shabnam Ali's execution will set a precedent for capital punishment for women in the country, challenging historical trends where female convicts were often spared execution. The case has reinforced the “rarest of rare” doctrine in Indian law, which determines when the death penalty is warranted. The Supreme Court’s confirmation of her death sentence indicates the judiciary's firm stance on crimes of extreme brutality, regardless of the gender of the convict.

Beyond legal aspects, the case has also ignited discussions about gender bias in capital punishment. Historically, female convicts have been granted leniency, but Shabnam’s case challenges this perception. The nature of the crime—where she conspired to kill seven members of her own family, including a 10-month-old child—was considered so heinous that no mitigating circumstances could justify a lesser sentence. The rejection of her mercy petition by the President further highlights the evolving approach of the Indian justice system toward serious crimes committed by women.

The case also sheds light on the issue of family murders and honor killings in India. While such crimes are often linked to societal pressures, this case stands out because the perpetrator was a woman who targeted her own family for personal reasons. It underscores how familial and social conflicts can escalate into extreme violence. The ethical debate surrounding the death penalty has also gained traction, especially with Shabnam’s young son publicly appealing for clemency. However, the judiciary upheld the execution, reinforcing the message that emotions and gender cannot override the severity of the crime.

This case will likely influence future judicial decisions, shaping India’s legal stance on capital punishment for women. It establishes a precedent that the justice system will not hesitate to impose the ultimate punishment if the crime falls within the category of the most extreme brutality. Whether or not Shabnam’s execution is ultimately carried out, her case will remain a crucial point of reference in India’s legal and social history.

Final Thoughts

The Shabnam vs. State of Uttar Pradesh case is a chilling reminder of how love, betrayal, and family disputes can lead to heinous crimes. It serves as an example of how the Indian judiciary upholds justice, even in the most complex and emotionally charged cases.

💬 What are your views on capital punishment? Should Shabnam be hanged or given life imprisonment? Let me know in the comments!