HC commutes death sentence in murder case

Chennai, July 18 (UNI) Madras High Court has modified the death sentence given in a murder case by a Sessions Court awarding life term to two of the accused and acquitting the other.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justices R Balasubramanyam and S K Krishnan, which reviewed the Salem Sessions Court judgement of death sentence to the three accused, Lokanathan(44), Shankar Narayan(25) and S Kumar (32), in the murder of a silver merchant and his family in November, 2005, said the evidence against the accussed was based only on circumstances.

The murder occurred at Guhaimugappadi street in Salem on November 11, 2005. The accused entered the house at night and attacked the silver merchant Mohanrao (45), his wife Sheela(40) and their son Prabhu(14) with sharp weapons and hacked them to death.

They also stole 163 sovereigns of gold, 30 kilograms of silver and cash worth Rs 22,000 from the house.

All the accused in the case were arrested by Sevvaipettai police in the same month and were charged with murder, trespass, abettment and robbery.

Salem First Additional Sessions court in its verdict, given on April 13, 2007, awarded death sentence to all the three accused.

The matter was then referred to High Court to confirm the death sentence.

The Division Bench, which considered the verdict today, said the court does not know whether all the accused have a uniform contribution to the committed crime.

The court reduced the death sentence of the first two accused Lokanthan and Shankar Narayan to life sentence and the third accused S Kumar was acquitted.

UNI