The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has confirmed the life sentence imposed on two persons for the murder of a young homemaker in 2015 in Chinna Chokkikulam, Madurai. The duo had murdered the woman in her house and stole her jewels.
A Division Bench of Justices S. Vaidyanathan and G. Jayachandran upheld the conviction and the sentence imposed by the Mahila Court in Madurai in 2018. The court dismissed the appeals filed by the convicts, V. Shyamala and her friend R. Ramesh.
Shyamala, a tailor, and her friend Ramesh, a driver, who were in need of money, conspired to murder K. Pavithra. Shyamala used to stitch clothes for Pavaithra.
On the day of murder, Pavithra was alone at home. The duo took advantage of the fact that Pavithra’s mother-in-law would leave for work. They went to the house under the pretext of delivering stitched clothes. Pavithra offered them tea. During the course of conversation, suddenly Shyamala and Ramesh attacked Pavithra. They tried strangulating her and then stabbed the woman with knives. Pavithra died of injuries. They stole jewels from the house. Pavithra’s husband was working in Dubai and she was to join him shortly.
Based on a complaint lodged by N. Kumaragurubaran, father of Pavithra, the Madurai police registered an FIR. The two were arrested and following investigation a charge sheet was filed. The Mahila Court sentenced them to life imprisonment for the murder.
Dismissing the criminal appeal filed by the convicts, the judges held that the prosecution had proved the guilt of the convicts beyond any reasonable doubt and the findings of the trial court regarding the guilt of the convicts was well fortified by the evidence.
