NEW DELHI: In a major relief to serial murderer and rapist Umesh Reddy, the Supreme Court has stayed the death sentence awarded him on Friday, considering that his solitary confinement has affected his well-being.
The Karnataka High Court recently upheld the death sentence awarded to him by a trial court. Umesh Reddy had challenged the High Court order before the Supreme Court.
A three-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India U U Lalit, has now stayed the High Court verdict confirming death penalty considering that he was in solitary confinement for 10 years illegally. This has adversely affected the well being of Umesh. Hence, considering these points, the Supreme Court issued a stay order to the death sentence.
Umesh Reddy, an ex-policeman, is accused of raping, robbing and killing more than over 20 women. He committed crimes across the country, but most of the cases reported in Karnataka. In many of his cases, the police were not able to prove their cases in court. Reddy was first arrested in 1997 in a rape and murder case. He managed to flee from the Hindalga prison in Ballari when he was in judicial custody.
Police could not trace him until another rape and murder of a widow surfaced in Chitradurga in 1998. Reddy was arrested, but he again escaped from police custody while being taken to court. He raped three young girls in Hubballi, Davanagere and Pune. He raped and murdered a CRPF commandant’s daughter in Kashmir. A rape and murder case was registered against him in Peenya police limits of Bengaluru’s north division in 2002. He was finally arrested from a salon.