Life sentence to Pratibha rape, murder convict upheld

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday upheld the life sentence of cab driver Shivakumar, who raped and killed BPO employee Pratibha Srikantamurthy in December 2005. 

The incident led to public outcry on the need to provide security to women who work in night shifts. The division bench comprising Justice H Billappa and Justice K N Phaneendra pronounced the orders on the appeal filed by the convict and the state government. 

While Shivakumar challenged the conviction, the state appealed for enhancement of the sentence. The bench dismissed the appeals and confirmed the orders passed by the fast-track court in 2010.

Pratibha, an employee at HP GlobalSoft BPO at Electronics City, was picked up for night duty on December 13, 2005, by the convict from her house at 2 am. He took her to an isolated place in Anjanapura Layout where he raped and killed her. The body was found three days later.