In Parameshwari v. The State of Tamil Nadu & Ors., decided in February 2026 by the Supreme Court of India (Bench: Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vijay Bishnoi), the Court examined whether compensation can replace punishment in serious crimes. The case arose from a 2009 stabbing where the accused caused multiple life-threatening injuries. The Trial Court convicted them under Indian Penal Code Section 307 and sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment. The High Court reduced the sentence to two months considering delay and ₹1 lakh compensation. The Supreme Court held that compensation under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita is restitutory and cannot replace punishment. Emphasizing proportionality and deterrence, the Court restored the original three-year sentence and rejected the idea that justice can be “purchased.”