In a significant development, the Saket court in Delhi has convicted four individuals in the high-profile murder case of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan. The verdict comes after a lengthy legal process and an exhaustive examination of the case, with the court also invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
The court identified the convicted individuals as Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Ajay Kumar, and Baljeet Malik, finding them guilty of committing the murder of Soumya Vishwanathan with the intent to rob her. They were convicted under the sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, the court found them guilty under section 3(1) (i) of MCOCA, highlighting the organized nature of the crime.
In a separate ruling, the fifth accused, Ajay Sethi, was convicted under Section 411 of the Indian Penal Code for retaining the offending vehicle. Moreover, Sethi was found to have facilitated the organization and held property derived from organized crime, leading to his guilt under sections 3(2) and 3(5) of MCOCA.
Reacting to the verdict, the mother of the deceased journalist, in an interview with ANI, expressed her feelings. She stated, “We’ve lost our daughter, but this (verdict) will act as a deterrent for others also.” When asked about the appropriate punishment for the convicted individuals, she emphatically called for “life imprisonment.”
The Soumya Vishwanathan murder case dates back to September 2008 when the journalist was tragically shot dead in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area, specifically on Nelson Mandela Marg, while in her car. She was returning home from work when the heinous crime occurred. Soumya Vishwanathan was employed with a private channel at the time, making her murder a significant incident in the city.
The Delhi Police invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in this case, based on the previous involvement of the accused individuals in other serious criminal cases, including the infamous Jigisha Ghosh murder case.
This verdict serves as a crucial moment in the pursuit of justice for the late journalist Soumya Vishwanathan and underscores the importance of legal actions against organized crime, with the victim’s mother emphasizing the potential deterrent impact of the court’s decision.
Sources By Agencies
