Chennai, July 27: Madras High Court has recommended to the Tamil Nadu governor to consider remission of a life term handed to a woman convicted of killing her four-month-old baby, after confirming the sentence awarded by a lower court.

A division bench of Madras High Court comprising Justices N. Dhinakar and Justice M. Chockalingam disallowed an appeal by Ismail Beebi of Vellakovil against the sentence by the Erode principal sessions court for murdering the baby by throwing it in a well because of dire poverty in September 1997.

Beebi also attempted to do the same with her first child aged four years but villagers stopped her.

The high court order did not specify whether the dead child was a boy or girl.

The prosecution had charged the “poverty-stricken” woman, deserted by her husband, with murder.

In February 1999, the Erode district principal sessions judge found her guilty and sentenced her to life imprisonment. Beebi appealed against that verdict in Madras High Court.

The high court confirmed the lower court’s conviction and sentence saying there was no reason to interfere with the trial court’s conclusion that Beebi had thrown the baby into the well, leading to the child’s death by drowning.

Beebi’s counsel made an impassioned plea that she was forced into an extreme act of desperation under “exceptional circumstances” as she could not maintain herself and her children after being deserted by her husband.

He urged the court to recommend the case to the governor for remission of sentence on the grounds of sympathy.

The judges then directed that the case file to be sent to the Tamil Nadu governor, S.S. Barnala, for consideration.