Santosh Kumar Singh has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court, challenging his conviction and death sentence in the sensational Priyadarshni Mattoo rape and murder case.

Son of a former senior IPS officer, Singh, now lodged in Tihar Jail, in his appeal against the Delhi High Court judgement has contended that the 'acquittal by the trial court was correct and proper'.

Sources said that 37-year-old Singh has submitted that the observation of the High Court while convicting him did not find any basis against the evidence on record.

The High Court, which had taken a day-to-day hearing on the case following a public outcry, in its judgement on October 17, 2006 had reversed the trial court verdict acquitting him from the offence of raping and murdering 23-year-old Mattoo 11 years ago.

Justice R S Sodhi and Justice P K Bhasin, while setting aside the lower court verdict, had termed it as 'perverse' and had sentenced him to death, saying he deserved nothing less.

Singh's acquittal by Additional Sessions Judge G P Thareja on December 3, 1999 had shocked the nation because the judge had said that he knew the accused had committed the crime but gave him the benefit of doubt because of lack of evidence.