Television journalist Soumya Vishwanathan was shot dead 15 years ago on September 30, 2008, when she was returning home from work in her car around 3.30 am. A Delhi court convicted four accused of murder in the case on Wednesday.
Soumya’s mother Madhavi Viswanathan demanded life imprisonment for all four people convicted, saying they should suffer what her family went through. “We lost our daughter. We demand life term for convicts, they should suffer what we went through,” Madhavi said.
Police had claimed that the motive behind the killing was robbery. The court convicted Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik and Ajay Kumar for the murder and also under provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Fifth accused, identified as Ajay Sethi, was convicted under Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code and under MCOCA provisions for conspiring to abet, aid or knowingly facilitate organised crime and for receiving the proceeds of organised crime.
The court fixed October 26 as the date for sentencing. Additional sessions judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt the charges against the accused.
Here’s a timeline of the case:
October 18, 2023: Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik and Ajay Kumar convicted in murder case and under MCOCA provisions. Fifth accused, Ajay Sethi, convicted of dishonestly receiving stolen property and under MCOCA sections. The quantum of sentence is likely to be pronounced on October 26.
October 13, 2023: Court reserves its verdict.
October 6, 2023: Final arguments by the defence and prosecution conclude.
May 2023: Recording of evidence concludes. Final arguments commence.
March 2022: Prosecution completes submitting evidence. Court begins recording the evidence of the accused.
February 27, 2019: The Delhi High Court orders expeditious trial and directs the trial court to hear the matter at least thrice a week.
February 6, 2019: Vishwanathan’s parents approach Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for a speedy trial.
February 2019: Malik moves the Delhi HC with a plea for a speedy trial.
April 23, 2010: Trial begins, prosecution starts submitting evidence.
May 9, 2011: Charges framed against the accused under the MCOCA.
February 6, 2010: Charges framed against the accused under IPC sections.
June 22, 2009: First chargesheet filed against the five accused.
March 28, 2009: Five men — Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik, Ajay Kumar and Ajay Sethi — arrested for killing Vishwanathan.
March 2009: Police claim breakthrough in the case due to recovery of weapon used in the killing of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh.
September 30, 2008: Vishwanathan shot dead while returning home from work in her car around 3.30 am. Police claim robbery as the motive.
(With PTI inputs)
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