Soumya Vishwanathan's murder case: Clues from a tattoo and stolen wireless set unravel the culprits
A fatal gunshot struck her temple, instantly claiming her life
New Delhi, October 19: In a significant development, the Delhi Police successfully cracked the murder case of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan by connecting it to the killing of IT professional Jigisha Ghosh, thanks to a hand tattoo, a stolen wireless set, and crucial CCTV footage, according to officials.
Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, and Baljeet Malik, who had been arrested for the murder of Jigisha Ghosh in 2009, later confessed to their involvement in Soumya Vishwanathan's murder in 2008. A Delhi court recently convicted four individuals - Kapoor, Shukla, Malik, and Ajay Kumar - for organized crime syndicate activities, including the murder of Vishwanathan.
_cb79c7eeef268ec8801495a2f0c0da5e_1280X720.webp)
The court also convicted a fifth accused, Ajay Sethi, under various charges, including receiving stolen property and involvement in organized crime. The murder of Vishwanathan occurred in the early hours of September 30, 2009, while she was on her way home from work. Jigisha Ghosh was looted and murdered on March 18, 2009.
The breakthrough in Jigisha's case came when investigators examined CCTV footage showing one of the accused using Jigisha's debit card for shopping. This individual had a distinctive hand tattoo, and another was seen carrying a stolen wireless set and wearing a cap.
The Delhi Police then leveraged its human intelligence network, leading them to the residence of Baljeet Malik in Masoodpur. Kapoor and Shukla were subsequently arrested. Notably, Malik had his name inked on his hand, while Kapoor carried a stolen wireless set, which he had taken from a police officer.
The arrested individuals admitted to kidnapping Jigisha from near her house in Vasant Vihar, subsequently robbing and murdering her, and later using her debit cards for purchases.
Moreover, Ravi Kapoor confessed that they were also responsible for Soumya Vishwanathan's murder, which had occurred at Nelson Mandela Marg. This revelation prompted the authorities to set up a special team to investigate both murder cases.
The then Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), HGS Dhaliwal, constituted a team of officers to gather forensic evidence in the Soumya Vishwanathan case.
The fateful night of Vishwanathan's murder involved Kapoor driving a Maruti Wagon R with Shukla as a passenger, while Malik and Kumar sat in the rear seats, all reportedly under the influence of alcohol. The perpetrators spotted Vishwanathan driving her Maruti Zen alone, overtook her, and attempted to intercept her vehicle.
When Vishwanathan did not stop her car, Kapoor opened fire, fatally wounding her with a shot to the temple. Her car collided with a divider, coming to a stop. The accused initially fled the scene but returned to check on Vishwanathan's condition. Upon seeing the presence of police personnel, they fled once more.
The successful conviction of the accused in the case was attributed to the recovery of the murder weapon, forensic evidence, and the correlation of the sequence of events with the accused's confessions. This development has brought a sense of satisfaction and closure for the victims' families and marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice.