SC to decide in July AIADMK activists death sentence issue

The Supreme Court today posted to July 27 final disposal of the appeal filed by the three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) activists sentenced to death in the Dharmapuri bus burning case in which three college girls were burnt alive.

The Supreme Court today posted to July 27 final disposal of the appeal filed by the three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) activists sentenced to death in the Dharmapuri bus burning case in which three college girls were burnt alive.

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A bench of Justices G S Singhvi and B S Chauhan, while posting the matter for final disposal, asked the prosecution and the three convicts Nedunchezhian, Ravindran and C. Muniappan to file their written submissions on the issue.

The apex court had in 2008 stayed the death sentence pending the appeal.

Three girl students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) - Kokilavani, Gayathri and Hemalatha – were
burnt alive on February 2, 2000, when their college bus was set ablaze by the convicts are Elakiyampatti in Dharmapuri
district following the conviction of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa in a graft case.

Eighteen other students were injured in the attack.

On February 16, 2007, Additional Sessions Court in Salem had convicted 28 of the 31 accused and awarded death sentence to Nedunchezhian, Ravindran and C Muniappan. While acquitting two, the court awarded sentences ranging from two months to two years to 25 others.

There were 31 accused in the case, out of which, one died during the trial and two were acquitted.

The Madras High Court subsequently upheld the death sentence and termed the killings as ghastly, diabolical and
gruesome.

Aggrieved by the judgement the trio had appealed in the apex court.