2003 honour killing: HC commutes death sentence of Maruthapandian

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence awarded to D Marudhupandian (49), brother of Kannagi to lifetime imprisonment in the sensational honour killing case of M Kannagi – S Murugesan couple in Cuddalore district in 2003.

The division bench of Justice PN Prakash and AA Nakkeeran has also acquitted two people as well as confirmed the life-term imprisonment of nine others including one C Duraisamy (68) who is the father of the deceased M Kannagi.

The bench passed the orders on hearing reference made by the special court trying offences under the SC/ST Act, Cuddalore and the appeals made by the convicted persons in the brutal killing case.

As per the HC order, D Rangasamy (45) and N Chinnadurai (50), relatives of Kannagi were acquitted. Also, the HC set aside the life-term imprisonment awarded to then Sub-Inspector of police Tamil Maran to 2 years of imprisonment in two cases including one for offences under the SC/ST Act.

The then inspector of police Chellamuthu and Kannagi’s relatives K Kandavel (54), K Jothi (53), Venkatesan, R Mani (66), K Dhanavel (49), V Anjapuli (47), K Ramadoss (52) are the others whose appeals against the trial court order was rejected by the HC. Therefore, their life-term imprisonment was confirmed.

The appellants submitted that the police had first registered the death of the duo as suicide case and later altered the same as murder case. They further submitted prosecution under SC/ST Act is not applicable to this case since two of the accused belong to the Dalit section.

However, the CBI countered all these arguments by the appellants submitting that there is a chain of evidence made out by the prosecution against the accused. “It is purely a honour killing case and the special court’s order must be upheld, ” the CBI argued.

The case dates back to May 2003 when an inter-caste couple Kannagi and Murugesan entered into the marriage life against the wish of Kannagi’s family. Since, Murugesan, a chemical engineering graduate is a Dalit, Kannagi’s caste Hindu family members and relatives objected to the inter-caste marriage.

On July 8, 2003, Kannagi and Murugesan were abducted by the family members of Kannagi and their relatives. The couple was forcefully poisoned by the girl’s family and they were burnt alive in a cashew farm in Puthukooraipettai village. The case was later transferred to the CBI.

In September, 2021, the special court trying cases under the SC/ST Act had sentenced death sentence to Marudhupandiyan and life-term imprisonment to 12 others. As two cops who denied registering the case for committing offence under the SC/ ST Act, they were also convicted by the special court.

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