The Karnataka Cabinet rejected the mercy petitions of Shubha Shankaranarayana and D Arun Verma, who are serving life sentences for the 2003 murder of BV Girish in Bengaluru’s infamous Ring Road murder case. State Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the government had decided to reject their pleas following an opinion from the Law Department.
“[The clemency plea] has been rejected because there is no scope in the law for it. We had taken an opinion from the Law Department. Based on their suggestion we have rejected the proposal,” Priyank told reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, October 15.
The state government will recommend to the Governor that the mercy petitions be rejected, he said.
The case dates back to December 3, 2003, when Girish, a 27-year-old software professional, was attacked at an aircraft-viewing point on Intermediate Ring Road near HAL Airport in Bengaluru. He died at a private hospital the following day after sustaining severe head injuries.
Shubha, who was engaged to Girish, was accused of conspiring with Arun, her junior at law college with whom she was reportedly in a relationship, and two other associates, Venkatesh and Dinesh, to murder him so that she could marry Arun.
On the night of the murder, Girish had taken Shubha out for dinner. At her request, he later drove to a spot near HAL Airport to watch aircraft take off and land. While they were there, Arun and his associates allegedly attacked Girish with a motorcycle’s shock absorber.
Investigators initially struggled to establish a motive because Girish had no known enemies. They later examined footage from the engagement ceremony and call detail records, which showed that Shubha had contacted Arun on the day before the murder. The investigation subsequently focused on her alleged role in the crime.
In July 2010, a trial court convicted all four accused of murder and criminal conspiracy and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The Karnataka High Court upheld their convictions and sentences.
In July 2025, the Supreme Court affirmed the life sentences. The apex court also granted Shubha time to file a mercy petition before the Governor. Shubha and Arun subsequently submitted their petitions, which were forwarded to the Cabinet for a decision. The Cabinet rejected the petitions after examining them.