The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the conviction and death sentence of two Maharashtrian sisters who along with their mother had murdered 13 children whom they had kidnapped and used for committing theft.

A bench comprising Justices K G Balakrishnan and G P Mathur dismissed appeals by sisters against a judgement of the Bombay High Court confirming the death sentence awarded by the trial court.

The bench also vacated the stay granted against the execution of both the convicts during the pendency of their appeals.

Renuka Bai alias Rinku and her sister were tried along with their mother for stealing and chain snatching during the period 1994-1996.

Their mother, however, passed away during the trial of this case.