A Delhi court on Wednesday convicted four persons for the murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008.
Vishwanathan was shot dead in her car around 3.30 am in Delhi in September 2008 when she was driving home from work. Five people were arrested for the murder and remained in custody since March 2009.
The police claimed that the motive behind the murder was robbery.
The four accused men – Ajay Kumar, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik and Ravi Kapoor – were convicted for offences under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to murder, and Section 34 for common intention, Live Law reported.
Additional Sessions Judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey also held the four guilty of loot and under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, NDTV reported. The Act, first enacted in Maharashtra, was extended to the National Capital Region by the Union government in 2002.
A fifth accused Ajay Sethi was convicted under Section 411 of the Indian Penal Code that pertains to dishonestly receiving stolen property as well as provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act for conspiring to abet, aid or knowingly facilitate organised crime and for receiving the proceeds of organised crime.
The Vishwanathan murder case saw a breakthrough when the police were investigating the killing of Jigisha Ghosh, an IT professional, in 2009. Kapoor, Malik and Shukla had been arrested in connection with Ghosh’s killing. During questioning, the police found their links with Vishwanathan’s murder.
Kapoor, Malik and Shukla were convicted in the case pertaining to Ghosh’s murder as well.
Vishwanathan’s mother said that she wants life imprisonment for the convicts. “We lost our daughter, but this will act as a deterrent for others,” NDTV quoted her as saying.
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