The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the convictions in the infamous ‘Kannagi-Murugesan’ honour killing case from Tamil Nadu, bringing closure to a case regarded as the first of its kind in the state.
A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice P.K. Mishra dismissed appeals filed by eight convicts challenging the 2022 Madras High Court judgment.
Murugesan, a Chemical Engineering graduate from the Dalit community, and Kannagi, a Commerce graduate from the Vanniyar community, secretly married on May 5, 2003. When Kannagi’s family discovered the marriage, they forcibly apprehended the couple on July 7, 2003, poisoned them, and later burned their bodies to destroy evidence.
CBI Investigation
Following allegations of mishandling by local authorities, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In 2021, the trial court sentenced Kannagi’s brother, Marudupandian, to death and awarded life sentences to 12 others, including her father.
In 2022, the Madras High Court commuted the death sentence of Marudupandian to life imprisonment and upheld life sentences for nine others, acquitting two. The Supreme Court has now affirmed this decision and ordered compensation for Murugesan’s parents, represented by Advocate Rahul Shyam Bhandari.
Landmark Verdict
This verdict marks a pivotal moment in India’s judicial response to honour killings, reinforcing the judiciary’s strong stance against crimes committed under the pretext of preserving “family honour.”
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