A court in Hyderabad has delivered a capital punishment verdict, sentencing a man to death for the brutal murder of his stepsister that occurred over a decade ago in 2011. The ruling brings a long-awaited judicial conclusion to a case marked by its shocking brutality and familial betrayal.
The Crime and the Court's Verdict
On Monday, the III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Manda Venkateswara Rao, presiding at the Medchal Malkajgiri District Court in Kukatpally, found Karan Singh, also known as Kamma Singh, guilty of murder. The judge convicted Singh under Section 235(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for an offence punishable under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court ordered that the convict be "hanged by neck till death" and also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. Singh, a native of Bidar in Karnataka, was 22 years old at the time he committed the crime in July 2011. The court noted his periods in judicial custody, spanning six months in 2011-12 and from March 2023 until the present.
Gruesome Details of the 2011 Murder
The prosecution's case, detailed in the police chargesheet, painted a horrifying picture of the events. According to the evidence, Singh murdered his stepsister at an isolated spot near the Bharat Nagar flyover in Hyderabad. The motive, as per the chargesheet, was her refusal to have sex with him on that fateful day.
He attacked her with a knife that he was in the habit of carrying. The aftermath was gruesome; her naked body was discovered in bushes near the flyover, bearing between 15 to 20 stab injuries. Following his apprehension by the police, Singh eventually confessed to the crime.
Further background provided by the prosecution revealed that both the deceased and the accused were addicted to alcohol, and their frequent disagreements culminated in the murder. Singh, a blacksmith by trade, had a history of petty crime, being a habitual offender in theft cases since the age of 10.
The Path to Conviction and Police Response
Additional Public Prosecutor G V Ramakrishna Rao, who argued the case, stated that the district court sought and obtained permission from the High Court to award the death sentence, considering the extreme brutality of the murder. While the defense counsel argued for Singh's innocence, the prosecution successfully presented a compelling array of evidence.
This evidence included technical and forensic proof, eyewitness accounts, and the accused's own confession. Rao credited the meticulous investigation led by the then Sanath Nagar police inspector, Saini Srinivasa Rao, and the comprehensive chargesheet he filed as pivotal in securing the conviction.
In a statement, Cyberabad Commissioner of Police Avinash Mohanty congratulated the investigating officers and the public prosecutor for their tireless work. "This victory is a testament to the dedication and perseverance shown by the police during the investigation and trial. It demonstrates the commitment of the police system to delivering justice to the people," Mohanty said. The verdict stands as a significant outcome in a long-pending case, underscoring the judicial process's role in addressing heinous crimes.
