The Hindu : New Delhi News : Prosecution demands death penalty for tutor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 13, 2007
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New Delhi

Prosecution demands death penalty for tutor

Staff Reporter

"The act tarnished the relationship between a teacher and a student"

NEW DELHI: The prosecution on Monday sought death penalty for Uttam Kumar, the tutor who was convicted by a city court on March 7 for killing his 20-year-old student at her residence in Adarsh Nagar here on April 19, 1999.

Arguing on the quantum of sentence, Special Prosecutor R. N. Mittal submitted before Additional Sessions Judge Bharat Parashar that the barbaric, cold-blooded act of the accused should attract death penalty.

The Special Prosecutor also cited sentences awarded by the Supreme Court and the various High Courts as also the verdicts given in cases like Naina Sahni and Priyadarshini Mattoo cases. He submitted that the act tarnished the relationship between a teacher and a student. He also told the court that Uttam's behaviour following the incident showed no signs of remorse.

The defence counsel, on the other hand, pleaded with the court to take a lenient view in awarding the sentence as the convict had been on good behaviour in custody during the trial.

Convict Uttam also argued against a death sentence, pleading that his act was not brutal and he had not been harassing the girl. Had that been the case, the girl could have easily complained to her parents or relatives, he told the court.

Following conclusion of arguments on the quantum, the court fixed March 15 for announcing the sentence. Earlier, the court had fixed March 12 for the same.

On March 7, the court had convicted Uttam Kumar for killing Priyanka, a student of St. Stephen's College of Delhi University. The court had agreed with the claims of the prosecution and concluded that the only motive behind the murder was the convict's lust for the victim.

Defence plea rejected

At least 19 witnesses, including family members of the victim, had deposed before the court. The court had also rejected the defence plea that her family members killed the girl -- as they were against her decision to marry someone not of their choice -- while implicating Uttam.

On April 19, Uttam, who used to teach Priyanka and her younger brother, had come to her house at Adarsh Nagar and stabbed her in the bathroom several times. Priayanka's marriage was to take place 20 days later.

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