Kanpur, Jan 22: A court in Kanpur has sentenced the three accused in the high-profile murder of 16-year-old Kushagra Kanodia to double life imprisonment, meaning they will remain in jail for the rest of their lives.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge found tuition teacher Ruchika Vats, her partner Prabhat Shukla and his associate Shiva Gupta guilty of kidnapping, murder and related charges in the October 2023 case that shocked the city.
Abduction while heading to coaching class
Kushagra, a Class 10 student, was abducted while heading to coaching classes. The prosecution argued that the motive behind the crime was to extract ransom from his family. The court convicted all three accused after examining key evidence and witness testimony. The sentencing hearing took place today following the conviction last week.
Evidence and witness testimony
During the trial, 14 prosecution witnesses were examined. Evidence placed before the court included CCTV footage, ransom notes and communication records that linked the accused to the crime.
Family seeks death penalty
Relatives of Kushagra welcomed the strict sentence but reiterated their demand for the death penalty, calling the crime particularly heinous.
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Police reaction
Police said the verdict sends a strong message that crimes against children will be met with the harshest possible punishment under the law.
