The
session court sentenced the death penalty to the IT professional for committing
murder of his beloved colleague's daughter, Mother-in-law and attempting to
murder of her husband; and life term awarded to his beloved for the abetment,
and helping for the commission, of this heinous crime in Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The court
in his verdict said, “It is insult for the motherhood.”
Chief judicial magistrate, V Shersi, has also fined both the accused, Nino Mathew and
Anushanthi, Rs 50 lakhs each. Both of them are software engineer. The fine amounts
of Rs 50 lakh is to be paid to the husband, Lijeesh and Rs 50 lakh to Thunkpan
Chettiar, Lijeesh father.
The murder was committed on April 16, 2014. According to the prosecution,
Anushanthi had connived with his paramour Nino to kill her mother-in-law and
daughter. Kulathur resident Nino Mathew was the project manager of Fincher
Company in the Technopark. Anu
Shanti was the team leader in the same. The duo had planned the murder in order to live together.
But Lijeesh, her husband; Swastika, 3, her daughter;
and Vijayamma (Omana), 60, her mother-in-law (retired government
officer) — all were the hurdle of duo.
The plan was to terminate Lijeesh,
Swasthika and Omana. Hence, Anu Shanti
had handed over all the photographs of the rooms and way to the residence much
before the incident took place.
Following instructions from Anushanthi, Nino arrived at the residence with
weapons including a Machete, chili powder and gloves. When Nino knocked the
front door of the house, it was Omana who opened it. Apparently, she was told
to call Lijeesh. As Lijeesh was not present at the house, Nino was told to wait
and Omana went to the kitchen to make tea.
Following this, Nino barged into the
kitchen and hacked Omana using the machete. When Swasthika rushed into the
kitchen following the screams of her grandma, she was also bludgeoned to death.
When
Lijeesh arrived, Nino tried to throw chili powder on his face and also hacked
Lijeesh on his head. Deeply injured, Lijeesh left the house and ran away anyhow
from the spot.The extramarital affair
between Anushanthi and Nino had led to the murder.
Public Prosecutor Vineet Kumar had said that the accused were found
guilty under Section 120B (conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder),
449 (criminal trespassing), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 380 (theft) of
IPC and 67A of the IT Act. Forty nine witnesses were examined and 85 documents
were used as evidence, besides 41 material evidence.
The court also took cognizance
of digital evidence and proof produced by forensic science laboratory. Video clippings seized from the laptop of the
accused were also accepted as evidence by the court.
The court said that Anu Shanthi was in the active role
of crime commission, but she is being given reduce in conviction because she is
a woman. However the court said she is the insult of motherhood. The gruesome
murders of 3 years old baby and 60 years old woman were committed.
