Synopsis
A special court in Telangana has sentenced Subhash Kumar Sharma to death for the murder of P. Pranay in a high-profile honor killing case, while six others received life sentences. The case drew national attention following the brutal public murder in 2018.Key Takeaways
- Death sentence issued to Subhash Kumar Sharma.
- Six co-accused received life imprisonment.
- The murder of P. Pranay occurred in public view.
- Pranay married against the wishes of his father-in-law.
- Amrutha fought for justice after the tragic incident.
Hyderabad, March 10 (NationPress) A special court in Telangana’s Nalgonda town delivered a death sentence to a hired assassin and sentenced six others to life imprisonment regarding the notorious 2018 'honor killing' case. The SC/ST court imposed the death penalty on Subhash Kumar Sharma, a resident of Bihar, for the murder of Dalit youth P. Pranay six years prior.
Pranay, aged 24, was brutally murdered in broad daylight by the hired gun as he exited a private hospital in Miryalaguda alongside his pregnant wife Amrutha and mother on September 14, 2018. This shocking murder was captured on CCTV and garnered national attention.
Pranay had wed Amrutha, who came from an upper caste, contrary to her businessman father Maruthi Rao’s wishes. The childhood companions tied the knot on January 30, 2018, at an Arya Samaj temple in Hyderabad.
The father of Amrutha, who orchestrated the murder, was the primary accused. He took his own life on March 7, 2020, while on bail.
Maruthi Rao was accused of facilitating the killing by allegedly paying Subhash Sharma ₹1 crore through another co-accused.
After a lengthy six-year trial, the court pronounced its verdict, sentencing Sharma to death. The other convicted individuals, including Asghar Ali, Abdul Bari, M.A. Karim, Shravan Kumar (brother of Maruthi Rao), auto driver Nizam, and car driver Shiva, received life sentences.
Asghar Ali is also implicated in the 2003 murder of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya.
Following a complaint by Pranay’s father, P Balaswamy, police arrested the eight suspects under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act along with murder charges.
On June 12, 2019, the police submitted a comprehensive 1,600-page charge sheet to the trial court.
All defendants, except for Subhash Sharma, were granted bail in 2019.
Meanwhile, Amrutha, who has been steadfastly pursuing justice and vowed never to return to her parent's home, gave birth to a baby boy in 2019.
