Justice for Jigisha: Delhi court convicts three men in 2009 murder (Roundup)

After a lengthy seven-year trial, a Delhi court on Thursday held three men guilty of kidnapping and killing IT executive Jigisha Ghosh in March 2009.

Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav said the prosecution had proved its case against the three: Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla and Baljit Singh Malik.

"It is abundantly clear from direct and circumstantial evidence that three convicts abducted Jigisha Ghosh for committing her murder," the court said.

The court said that "There are no missing links or gaps in the prosecution case."

The court has fixed August 20 for hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence.

Jigisha, 28, who was working with Hewitt Associate Pvt Ltd as an operations manager, was kidnapped and killed on March 18, 2009 after her office cab dropped her near her home in south Delhi's Vasant Vihar around 4 a.m.

Her body was recovered on March 20, 2009 from near Surajkund in Haryana.

Police later arrested Kapoor, Shukla and Malik in the case.

The court convicted the trio under Section 302 (murder), Section 201 (destruction of evidence), Section 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), Section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), Section 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), Section 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), Section 482 (punishment for using a false property mark) with Section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

The court also convicted Ravi Kapoor under the Arms Act.

The prosecution cited 58 witnesses to support its case.

Jigisha's parents told IANS that they are satisfied with the court order and said that justice has been done.

The court has directed Delhi government's Home Department Secretary to immediately appoint a probation officer who will submit a report on the behaviour of the three convicts during judicial custody and other aspects.

According to police, the weapon, a gun, allegedly used in the murder also helped in cracking the murder case of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, who was shot dead on September 30, 2008 while she was returning home in her car from office in the wee hours.

Police said the three men were involved in the journalist's murder and the motive behind the killing was robbery.

Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan told IANS that the accused revealed to police that they had also shot dead Soumya Vishwanathan in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj.

Police recovered the gun which was allegedly used in the crime on the information provided by the accused.

Thursday's verdict was also welcomed by the parents of Soumya Vishwanathan.

Soumya Vishwanathan's parents told IANS that "They are satisfied with the court's order and now we are waiting for the legal conclusion of our daughter's murder case."

The accused had used Jigisha's ATM card to buy expensive goggles, wrist watches and shoes from Sarojini Nagar Market, police said.

--IANS

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