Bangalore: HC Upholds Life Sentence for Shubha, Three Others
Bangalore, Nov 4 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court today upheld the life sentence awarded to four persons by a lower court in connection with the murder of a software engineer by his fiancee and her associates.
A division bench, comprising justices N Ananda and A S Pachhapure dismissed the criminal appeals filed by Shubha and three others, challenging a city fast track court judgement of July 14, sentencing them to life.
B V Girish, a software engineer with Intel, who had been engaged to Shubha, an advocate by profession, was murdered here on December 3, 2003.
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Police had named Shubha and three others -- Aruna Verma, Venkatesh and Dinesh -- in the charge sheet for murdering Girish.
The high court hearing on the appeal by Shubha and three others took a curious turn following distribution of pamphlets in the court titled "Get Justice for Girish".
Justice K Sridhar Rao who heard it, later recused himself from the hearing. Chief Justice J S Khehar posted the matter before a division bench, headed by Justice N Anand.
Later, responding to reporters' queries, special public prosecutor Venkat Rao said the state had filed cross appeals seeking death sentence for Venkatesh and life for the other three under Section 304.
"The division bench has upheld our appeals and modified the lower court order, sentencing all the four to life imprisonment under Sec 304. But our appeal for death sentence for Venkatesh has not been considered," he said.
Ratna, Girish's sister-in-law said she was quite satisfied with the order, obtained after a seven-year battle for justice.
"We have got justice. Basically our faith in the judiciary has been reinforced."
On whether they would approach the Supreme Court for enhancement of sentence for the convicted, she said the matter would have to be discussed with their lawyers.
"At this point, I can only say that we are very relieved and satisfied."
Shubha (28) and boyfriend Arun Verma, her junior in college, his cousin Dinesh had conspired to murder Girish after her father forced her to get engaged on learning of her affair.
Arun and Shubha then hired Venkatesh for Rs 1,500 to murder Girish.
On December 3, 2003 Shubha got Girish to take her out to dinner and made him stop his bike near jumbo Point near HAL airport. Even as Girish was watching a flight take off, Venkatesh hit him on the back of his head with a shock absorber and sped away on Arun's bike.
Girish's body was found the next day.
Shubha was arrested in January 2004 and was in judicial custody for over three months before she was granted bail.
All the four were sentenced to life and slapped with a fine of Rs 50,000 each by the fast track court on July 14.