Bengaluru, Oct 15 (IANS) The Karnataka State Cabinet is likely to take up the mercy petitions filed by Shubha Shankarnarayan and her co-accused, who were convicted in the sensational 2003 Ring Road Shubha murder case in Bengaluru. The petitions, submitted to the Governor following the Supreme Court’s decision upholding their life sentences for the cold blooded murder of an innocent youth, have been forwarded to the state government by the Governor’s office for its opinion.
The Governor’s office has sent the petitions to the state government, particularly the Home Department, seeking its views on the requests for clemency.
The Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday, may consider the petitions and decide whether to recommend granting or rejecting the requests before submitting its report to the Governor.
The case dates back to December 3, 2003, when B.V. Girish, a 27-year-old software engineer working with Intel, was murdered just four days after his engagement to Shubha.
According to the prosecution, Shubha took Girish to the Outer Ring Road area under the pretext of watching an aircraft land. Her associates allegedly attacked him with a metal rod, causing severe injuries. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Investigators found that Shubha, who was allegedly opposed to the engagement arranged by her family, had conspired with Arun Varma, with whom she was reportedly in a relationship, and two others, Venkatesh and Dinesh, to murder Girish.
Shubha, Arun Varma, Venkatesh and Dinesh were convicted of murder and criminal conspiracy under Sections 302 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Karnataka High Court upheld their convictions and sentences, which were subsequently affirmed by the Supreme Court.
While upholding the life sentences, the Supreme Court acknowledged the social and family pressures associated with forced marriage and granted the convicts an eight-week window to submit mercy petitions to the Karnataka Governor before enforcement of their arrest.
Following the Supreme Court’s verdict, Shubha and the other convicts approached the Governor seeking clemency. The state government’s opinion on the petitions is now expected to be a key factor in the next stage of the process.
The case attracted widespread public attention and later inspired the Kannada film Ring Road Shubha, released in 2014 and made by an all-women crew.
–IANS
mka/rad