The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment on the criminal appeals related to the high-profile Pratyusha death case, which once created a sensation in the Telugu film industry. A bench comprising Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Manmohan heard the appeals filed by accused Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy challenging the High Court’s order, and by Pratyusha’s mother, Sarojinidevi, seeking an enhancement of the sentence imposed on him.
According to case records, Pratyusha and Siddhartha Reddy had been in a relationship since their Intermediate days in Hyderabad. On February 23, 2002, both were discovered in a poisoned state and were admitted to a private hospital, where Pratyusha succumbed the next day while undergoing treatment. Chemical analysis confirmed that both had consumed pesticide mixed in a soft drink. A government-appointed medical team later confirmed that she died of organophosphate poisoning and ruled out suffocation or sexual assault.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Court had convicted Siddhartha Reddy for abetment of suicide and attempt to commit suicide, sentencing him to five years in prison. However, the High Court in December 2011 reduced the sentence to two years and increased the fine to ₹50,000. Dissatisfied with the verdict, Pratyusha’s mother approached the Supreme Court in 2012, resulting in the ongoing proceedings.
During the latest hearing, Siddhartha’s counsel, senior advocates Nagamuthu and L. Narasimha Reddy, contended that abetment charges were unsustainable as both individuals had consumed the pesticide together. Meanwhile, Pratyusha’s mother has consistently argued that her daughter’s death was not a suicide but a murder. After considering the submissions from all sides, the Supreme Court has reserved its verdict, which is expected to bring closure to the decades-old case.