SC sets aside Andhra HC judgement on double murder, calls it 'perverse'

In 2005, the accused had hacked to death a 12-year-old girl and her 50-year-old father.
SC sets aside Andhra HC judgement on double murder, calls it 'perverse'
SC sets aside Andhra HC judgement on double murder, calls it 'perverse'
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The Supreme Court has set aside a judgement of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in a double murder case, calling it 'perverse', and convicting the sole accused.

"The order passed by the High Court is perverse and not sustainable in the eyes of law and we set aside the order passed by it," the court's judgement read.

The case refers to the double murder of a 12-year-old girl, Pasupuleti Lohita, and her father Pasupuleti Venkatramana (50), who were murdered by P Yerraballi Amaranatha Reddy.

On September 18, 2005, Reddy went to Venkatramana's house at around 10.00pm with a sickle. At around 1.30 am, when Venkatramana's family had gone to sleep, Reddy took out the sickle and hacked him to death.

When the former's wife tried to intervene, she too was attacked, and left with severe injuries.

Venkatramana's son, who witnessed the incident, called his brother up on the phone and informed him about what was happening.

However, his brother was sleeping, and could not understand what was happening. He called back, following which Reddy picked up the phone, and heard in on the conversation between the two brothers.

Reddy then went to the bedroom of the boy and attacked him. It was at this point, that the 12-year-old girl also tried to flee, but was caught and hacked to death on the staircase.

The accused also committed a theft of Rs 2,500.

The police soon visited the spot and registered a case under Section 302, 307 and 324 of the IPC, all of which deal with murder.

Reddy was caught on October 15, and convicted by a trial court soon after. However, the High Court set aside the conviction order.

Criticising the HC's move, the Supreme Court stated that the HC ignored the autopsy report, and did not give any proper reason to set aside the trial court's judgement.

"'Perverse' is not a happy expression, particularly when used for a judgment of a superior court of record. I entirely agree that this judgment is “perverse”, and wish to give my own reasons as to why it is so...It must be declared that the division bench judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court cannot but be characterised as perverse on all counts, and must, therefore, be set aside,” Justice Nariman was quoted as saying.

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