Nalgonda: The SC/ST Court in Nalgonda has delivered a landmark verdict in the Miryalaguda honour killing case, sentencing A2 accused Subhash Sharma to death for the murder of Pranay. The court also awarded life imprisonment to six other accused, including Amrutha’s uncle.
Verdict and Sentencing Details
The police charge sheet named eight individuals as accused in the case:
– A1: Thirunagari Maruthi Rao (Deceased)
– A2: Subhash Sharma (Bihar) – Death Sentence
– A3: Asgar Ali – Life Imprisonment
– A4: Abdul Bari – Life Imprisonment
– A5: M.A. Kareem – Life Imprisonment
– A6: Thirunagari Shravan Kumar – Life Imprisonment
– A7: Shiva – Life Imprisonment
– A8: Nizam – Life Imprisonment
Among the accused, Subhash Sharma (A2) and Asgar Ali (A3) remained in judicial custody, while the remaining five were out on bail and attended court proceedings. The primary accused, Maruthi Rao (A1), died by suicide in March 2020.
Honour Killing Over Inter-Caste Marriage
The incident occurred on September 14, 2018, when Pranay was brutally murdered in broad daylight. While returning home from a hospital visit with his pregnant wife Amrutha, he was attacked with knives and killed. The crime was orchestrated by Amrutha’s father, Maruthi Rao, who was opposed to her inter-caste marriage with Pranay.
Following the murder, Pranay’s father, Perumalla Balaswamy, filed a police complaint, leading to an extensive investigation. Under the supervision of then Superintendent of Police A.V. Ranganath, the 1,600-page charge sheet was prepared, establishing the roles of the accused.
Legal Proceedings and Final Judgment
The charge sheet was filed on June 12, 2019, and the SC/ST District Sessions Court commenced trial proceedings. After five years and nine months, the court analyzed the charge sheet, post-mortem reports, scientific evidence, and witness testimonies before delivering its final verdict today.