Court to pronounce verdict in journalist Soumya Vishwanathan murder case

This case was disclosed during the investigation of the murder of call centre executive Jigisha Ghosh who was killed on March 19, 2009.

New Delhi: The Delhi Court is set to pronounce judgement in a 15-year-old murder case of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan on Wednesday.

Vishwanathan was shot dead on September 30, 2008, while she was returning home from work in her car. She was shot in the forehead and the case was registered at police station Vasant Vihar.

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This case was disclosed during the investigation of the murder of call centre executive Jigisha Ghosh who was killed on March 19, 2009.

Delhi Police had invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCOA) on the basis of the involvement of accused persons in other cases. Five accused persons namely Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik, Ajay Sethi and Ajay Kumar are facing trial in the MCOCA case. Except Ajay Sethi all other accused persons were charged with offence of murder.

Additional Sessions Judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey is likely to pronounce judgment after considering the submissions of counsel for the accused and additional public prosecutor Pravin Rahul.

The court had reserved the order on October 13, 2023.

On March 28, 2009, during the investigation Jigisha Ghosh murder case Delhi police arrested Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla and Baljeet Malik. They were arrested in the present case on the basis of their disclosure statement.

Delhi Police on June 22, 2009, filed a first charge sheet against all five accused persons under section 302 (murder) and 34 (Common intention) IPC. The court had framed charges against all accused persons except Ajay Sethi for the offence of murder.

On October 8, 2009, the first supplementary charge sheet was filed by Delhi police under MCOCA against accused Ravi Kapoor. Delhi police had booked all other accused persons in this case.

The court on May 9, 2011, charged all accused persons under MCOCA for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate.

Advocate Amit Kumar represented accused Amit Shukla and Baljeet Malik who argued that the sanction under MCOCA was mechanically accorded without application of mind.

It was also argued that there is no evidence to prove that these two accused persons have shared the alleged common intention with anyone to commit the alleged offence of murder.

Advocate Amit Kumar also argued that there is no eye witness or CCTV footage on record to prove the participation of these accused persons as alleged in this case.