SC flays prosecution in Soumya murder case
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday observed that the prosecution had committed serious lapses during the trial of the Soumya murder case.
The apex court said the discrepancies in the statements of witnesses produced by the prosecution led to the quashing of the death sentence of Govindachami.
“The prosecution was not able to explain whether Soumya jumped from the train or somebody pushed her,” the court said.
The top court had upheld the conviction and award of life imprisonment to Govindachami for offence under Section 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code.
The woman was travelling by Ernakulam-Shornur passenger train on February 1, 2011, when the crime took place between Vallathol Nagar Railway Station and Shornur. The woman, who died a few days after the crime, was incidentally going to attend here betrothal ceremony on the next day - February 2 - as she was getting married.