Soumya murder: Hearing on sentencing deferred to Nov 7

A Delhi court has ordered the government to submit a report on the psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of the five convicts in the 15-year-old murder case of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan. The court will consider the report before sentencing on November 7.

A Delhi court on Thursday ordered the Delhi government to submit the psychological, social and behavioural aspects involving the five convicts in the television journalist Soumya Vishwanathan’s murder 15 years ago — a prerequisite before sentencing in a crime where death penalty is one of the punishments — and placed the matter for consideration on November 7.

Soumya Vishwanathan was shot dead in her car at Vasant Kunj around 3.30am on September 30, 2008, while she was returning home from work. (HT Archive)

On September 30, 2008, Vishwanathan was shot dead in her car at Vasant Kunj around 3.30am while she was returning home from work. On October 18, a trial court convicted four of the accused — Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Ajay Kumar, and Baljeet Malik — under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). They were also held guilty under section 3(1)(i) of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The court convicted a fifth suspect, Ajay Sethi, on charges of receiving stolen property, and fixed October 26 as the date for sentencing at the time.

On Thursday, additional sessions judge (ASJ) Ravindra Kumar Pandey directed the home department’s principal secretary to appoint a probation officer (PO) to submit a pre-sentencing report of the five accused.

The court further directed the PO to consider two aspects — whether there is any probability that the five convicts would commit any criminal acts constituting a continuing threat to society, and whether there is a probability that they can be reformed and rehabilitated in society.

The court directed the PO to consult and seek inputs from two professionals in the fields of clinical psychology and sociology with experience of not less than 10 years.

It was directed the authorities that home investigation meetings with the family and relatives of the convicts is mandatory so that inputs on the behavioural traits can be verified against what the convicts say during interviews.

The court also said that strict confidentiality should be maintained, and the report shall be submitted in a sealed cover.

While adjourning the matter, the court noted that the district legal services authority has filed a victim impact assessment report, but a report regarding the convicts has not been filed, and an affidavit regarding the financial status of the accused has not been submitted.

After the hearing on Thursday, Vishwanathan’s mother Madhavi Vishwanathan said, “We want this to be over soon, and for the convicts to be punished, so that the roads of Delhi are free from at least this gang.”

The deceased’s parents had earlier said that they were not in favour of the death penalty because they wanted the accused “to suffer like we are suffering”, and had said that they want the court to sentence them to life in prison.