BANGALORE: Justice has finally prevailed in the firstever case where a BPO employee was murdered on her way to work in Bangalore. The 11th Fast Track court here on Wednesday found accused cab driver Shiva Kumar guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering Prathibha Srikanth Murthy in December 2005.
Justice B V Gudli, however, announced that the punishment will be pronounced only on Friday.
Earlier, Justice Gudli had asked the accused whether he confessed to the crime. But, Shiva Kumar said that he was innocent and was "forced" to confess by the police. He pleaded leniency in the punishment stating that he has a child and aged parents to take care of.
Special Public Prosecutor V K Patil argued that the crime committed by the cabbie was unforgivable and brutal, and the court should not show any sympathy.
Patil said that it was clearly a preplanned, coldblooded murder (without any provocation) and the evidence indicated that there was no leniency shown by Shiva Kumar while committing the offence.
Patil argued that the incident had created a terrorlikesituation among thousands of women employees working in the software industry. He said that the crime was a "rare" one and therefore, capital punishment should be rewarded to the accused.
Patil contended that by giving capital punishment the court would deter wrongdoers from repeating such offences, but failing to do so would seem like the court failed in its duty. However, defence counsel Shankarappa appealed that the court should consider Shiva Kumar's age and family background.