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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{use Indian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
|birth_name = Dhananjoy Chatterjee
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1965|8|14|df=yes}}
|birth_place = {{nowrap|Kuludihi, [[West Bengal]], India}}
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|8|15|1965|8|14|df=yes}}
|death_place = [[Alipore Jail]], [[Kolkata]], India
| death_cause = Execution by [[hanging]]
| criminal_charge = Murder<br />Rape
}}

'''Dhananjoy Chatterjee''' (14 August 1965 – 15 August 2004) was the first person who was judicially executed in India in the 21st century for murder. The execution by [[hanging]] took place in [[Alipore Jail]], [[Kolkata]], on 14 August 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Six-convicts-in-death-row-in-Bengal-jails/articleshow/16264927.cms|title=Six convicts in death row in Bengal jails|work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/15/stories/2004081509770100.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150128133210/http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/15/stories/2004081509770100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-01-28|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2004-08-15|title=Front Page : Dhananjoy hanged}}</ref> He was charged in 1990 for the crimes of [[rape]] and [[murder]] of Hetal Parekh, a 15-year-old school-girl.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=11728|title = Judgment in the case of Dhananjoy Chatterjee vs. State of West Bengal|date = 11 January 1994|access-date = 1 December 2015|website = A. S. Anand and N. P. Singh, JJ, para 1, page 226|publisher = Supreme Court of India}}</ref>

The execution stirred up public debates and attracted immense attention from media. Dhananjoy was [[Conviction|convicted]] and [[hanged]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/the-last-hanging-took-14-years-after-rape-and-murder/1050101/|title=The last hanging took 14 years after rape and murder}}</ref>

This was the first hanging in West Bengal since 21 August 1991 at [[Alipore Jail]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=32742|title=I hanged my first victim when I was 16|work=indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040805/asp/calcutta/story_3583755.asp|title=The Telegraph - Calcutta : Metro|work=telegraphindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/ar/documents/asa20/039/1991/ar/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-01-28}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Dhananjoy was born in Kuludihi, [[West Bengal]], India, and worked as a security guard in [[Kolkata]].<ref name=":9">{{Cite news|url=http://scroll.in/article/741784/how-india-hanged-a-poor-watchman-whose-guilt-was-far-from-established|title=How India hanged a poor watchman whose guilt was far from established|last=N.|first=Jayaram|date=21 July 2015|work=scroll.in|access-date=9 December 2015}}</ref> He had married Purnima just eight months before he was arrested in the Hetal Parekh case by falsely claiming he was working in the [[Border Security Force]] when he was only a security guard.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/dhananjoys-family-stood-rock-like-behind-him/242067 | title=Dhananjoy's family stood rock-like behind him | publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] | date=15 August 2004 | access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref> Purnima works as an anganwadi worker with a salary of Rs 1,200 per month and after his execution lives with her parents even after the execution of her husband she has refused to remarry.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/dhananjoy-widow-seeks-peace/cid/687880 | title=Dhananjoy widow seeks peace | publisher=The Telegraph | work=Naresh Jana | date=22 January 2005 | access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/leisure/a-matter-of-life-and-death/cid/101327 | title=A matter of life and death | publisher=The Telegraph | date=23 August 2005 | access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref>

== Case details ==
Hetal Parekh was a student of [[Welland Gouldsmith School]] at [[Bowbazar]], Kolkata. She used to live with her parents and elder brother in a third floor flat of Anand Apartments in [[Bhawanipore]]. The Parekhs moved into this flat in 1987. Dhananjoy was a security guard of this agency. He had worked in that building for about three years.

On 5 March 1990, Dhananjoy performed security duty during the morning shift (6 am to 2 pm). Hetal left for her [[Indian Certificate of Secondary Education|ICSE]] examination at about 7:30 am. After the examination, she returned home. In the afternoon, only Hetal and her mother were there in the flat.

Hetal's mother went to visit a temple in the vicinities in the afternoon. After returning from the temple, she being unable to enter her home, despite repeated knocking, asked some servants of other flats to break the door open. Hetal was found lying dead near the door connecting the living room with the Parekh couple's bedroom with blood stains on her face and on the floor. Two local doctors examined Hetal and declared her dead.

Dhananjoy was not seen in the area after the murder had been discovered. He became the focal point of police investigations. He was eventually arrested by the police from his village home at Kuludihi near [[Chhatna (community development block)|Chhatna]], [[Bankura district|Bankura]], in the early hours of 12 May 1990.

The case was investigated by the Detective Department of [[Kolkata Police Force|Kolkata Police]]. The [[chargesheet]] prepared by the police included the charges of [[rape]], [[murder]] and the [[theft]] of a wrist watch. The trial took place in the second court of the [[Sessions Court|Additional Sessions Judge]] at Alipore. Since there was no direct witness to the murder, the case hinged on [[circumstantial evidence]] only. After the sessions court convicted Dhananjoy of all the offenses and sentenced him to death, the [[Calcutta High Court|High Court at Calcutta]] and the [[Supreme Court of India]] upheld the [[conviction]] and the [[Death sentences|death sentence]]. The [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] convicted Dhananjoy and regarded the crime as a heinous combination of offenses, aggravated by the fact that as a security guard Dhananjoy had been in charge of the victim's safety—enough to make it belong to the ''rarest of rare'' category of crimes''-''warranting a death sentence.

=== Claims of innocence ===
Dhananjoy had claimed repeatedly during his trial that he was completely innocent and that he had nothing to do with the murder, rape or theft. He maintained his stance till the day of his [[Execution (legal)|execution]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dhananjoys-last-words-I-am-innocent/articleshow/815569.cms|title = Dhananjoy's last words: I am innocent|date = 15 August 2004|work = The Times of India|access-date = 1 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url = http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/15/stories/2004081509770100.htm|archive-url = https://archive.today/20150128133210/http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/15/stories/2004081509770100.htm|url-status = dead|archive-date = 28 January 2015|title = Dhananjoy hanged|last = Bhattacharya|first = Malabika|date = 15 August 2004|work = [[The Hindu]]|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/aug/14dhan3.htm|title = Dhananjoy pleaded innocence till last: Hangman|date = 15 August 2004|work = rediff.com|access-date = 7 December 2015}}</ref>

== Controversies ==
Some academics and lawyers have questioned the validity of the death sentence and the proceedings of the trial. Professors from [[Indian Statistical Institute|ISI Kolkata]]—Debasish Sengupta, [[Probal Chaudhuri]] and Paramesh Goswami have conducted investigative journalism on the issue; publishing the findings in a book titled ''Adalat-Media-Samaj Ebong Dhananjayer Fashi'' (Court-Media-Society and The Hanging of Dhananjoy). It criticized the handling of the case, the media-trial and faulted the delivered judgement.

== Execution ==
Dhananjoy's execution was scheduled on 25 June 2004. It was stayed after his family petitioned the [[Supreme Court of India]], and filed a mercy plea with the then President Dr. [[APJ Abdul Kalam]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url = http://www.thehindu.com/2004/06/30/stories/2004063003741300.htm|title = Controversy rages over Dhananjoy issue|last = Bhattacharyya|first = Malabika|date = 30 June 2004|work = [[The Hindu]]|access-date = 2 December 2015}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> On 26 June 2004, a campaign to ensure Dhananjoy's hanging was initiated. Mrs. Meera Bhattacharjee, wife of Mr. [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, led the campaign.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040627/asp/frontpage/story_3423327.asp|title = Wife adds tears to Buddha’s hang-him cry - Meera Bhattacharjee joins campaign to ensure condemned rapist 'gets what he deserves'|work = The Telegraph, Calcutta|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/dhananjays-execution-demanded-at-open-debate-in-city/231112|title = Dhananjay's execution demanded at open debate in city|work = Outlook|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=":0"/> Several individuals and human rights groups came forward to oppose the execution.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2117/stories/20040827004602100.htm|title = The case of death sentence|last = Chattopadhyay|first = Suhrid Sankar|date = 14 August 2004|work = Frontilne|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3562278.stm|title = India carries out rare execution|date = 14 August 2004|work = BBC News|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref> The mercy plea was finally rejected by the president on 4 August 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/aug/04dhan.htm|title = Kalam rejects Dhananjoy's mercy petition|last = Singh|first = Onkar|date = 4 August 2004|work = rediff.com|access-date = 2 December 2004}}</ref>

The date of Dhananjoy's execution was fixed at a high-level meeting at the office of Jail Minister [[Biswanath Chowdhury]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kolkata/20040810.htm|title = Dhananjoy hanging: August 14, 0430 IST|date = 10 August 2004|work = rediff.com|access-date = 2 December 2015}}</ref> He was executed on 15 August 2004, the day after his 39th birthday.

The family refused to claim his body<ref name=":5" /> and it was later [[cremated]].<ref name=":4"/>

== Media ==
[[Dhananjay (film)|Dhananjay]], a film based on the events of the case was released on 11 August 2017 regionally and on [[Amazon Prime]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/Film-on-Dhananjoy-hanging-case/articleshow/55538008.cms|title=Film on Dhananjoy hanging case|access-date=12 December 2016|website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref name=":m2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/dhananjoy-the-movie-all-set-to-ask-uncomfortable-questions-1483961.html|title=Dhananjay The Movie is All Set to Ask Uncomfortable Questions|website=News18}}</ref><ref name=":m1">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/movie-on-dhananjay-family-members-say-betrayed-director-claims-they-were-happy-4795483/|title=Movie on Dhananjay: Family members say ‘betrayed’, director claims they were happy|date=14 August 2017}}</ref> The film was directed by Arindam Sil, and cast [[Anirban Bhattacharya]] and [[Mimi Chakraborty]] in the lead roles. The film is based on the book "''Adalat-Media-Samaj Ebong Dhananjayer Fashi''". The film also received objection from Dhananjay's family after initially agreeing with the development of the project<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jul 27|first=Priyanka Dasgupta /|last2=2017|last3=Ist|first3=08:47|title=Dhananjoy's family objects to Arindam Sil's film {{!}} Kolkata News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/dhananjoys-family-objects-to-arindam-sils-film/articleshow/59784162.cms|access-date=2021-09-07|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Capital punishment in India]]
* [[List of exonerated death row inmates]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=52429 "''Dhananjoy to be hanged''"] – article in the [[Indian Express]] dated 5 August 2004 referring to his mercy petition being rejected by the President of India
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040825205612/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug112004/i4.asp "''Dhananjoy Chatterjee to be hanged on Saturday''"] – article in the [[Deccan Herald]] on 11 August 2004
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050428002943/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7242_940875,00180008.htm "''On death row Chatterjee gets a reprieve''"] – article in HTTabloid.com dated 11 August 2004
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040930113654/http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=35020 "''Dhananjoy Chatterjee cremated''"] – article in Indian Express dated 14 August 2004

{{Rape in India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chatterjee, Dhananjoy}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:People executed for murder]]
[[Category:People executed by India by hanging]]
[[Category:Indian rapists]]
[[Category:21st-century executions by India]]
[[Category:Executed Indian people]]
[[Category:Indian murderers of children]]
[[Category:People convicted of murder by India]]
[[Category:Indian people convicted of murder]]
[[Category:Violence against women in India]]
[[Category:Sex crimes in India]]
[[Category:Criminals from West Bengal]]

Dhananjoy Chatterjee - Revision history

>UndistributedPlums at 03:56, 15 September 2021