Journalist Soumya Vishwanathan Murder Case: Hearing For Arguments On Sentencing On November 24

A Delhi court today deferred to November 24 the hearing on the quantum of sentence for the five men convicted for killing TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008 on grounds that there was a delay in receiving the pre-sentence report and other documents from the probation officer.

The pre-sentencing report was submitted only on Tuesday afternoon, and the judge is currently reviewing the reports before delivering the verdict. Copies of the reports will be provided to individual convicts, their counsels, as well as the Public Prosecutor.

The judge has requested the probation officer and the Legal Services Authority to ensure that the reports are submitted before the rescheduled hearing date. Reports of the convicts have been received, and the verification of affidavits filed by the convicts is ongoing by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority. The hearing has been adjourned until the rescheduled date.

On October 18, Delhi's Saket court has convicted four accused in the case of murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan. The court found Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Ajay Kumar, and Baljeet Malik guilty of murdering Soumya Vishwanathan during a robbery, with convictions under sections 302 and 34. Additionally, they were convicted under section 3(1)(i) of the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act).

The fifth accused, Ajay Sethi, was convicted under Section 411 of the Indian Penal Code for retaining the vehicle used in the crime. He was also found guilty of facilitating the organization and possessing property derived from organized crime, leading to convictions under sections 3(2) and 3(5) of MCOCA.

The journalist was tragically murdered in Delhi's Vasant Kunj area in September 2008. She was shot and killed while driving her car on Vasant Kunj's Nelson Mandela Marg. Soumya Vishwanathan was employed with a private channel and lost her life on September 28, 2008, while returning home from work.