Everything you need to know about this gruesome case.
The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered the immediate release of Sushil Kumar Sharma, who was convicted in the sensational tandoor murder case which took place in 1995.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court asked whether a person could be allowed to be kept in jail indefinitely for the offence of murder even if he has already served the sentence.The court raised the query while hearing a plea by former youth Congress leader Sushil Kumar Sharma, serving life term in the 1995 murder of his wife Naina Sahni, seeking release after having undergoEne 29 years of incarceration.
A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said it was concerned with the human rights of the prisoner and termed the issue as "very serious"."He is incarcerated for over 25 years including remission. A murder itself is brutal. He has already served the sentence. Does it not infringe upon his human rights, which are inalienable rights.
What exactly happened on the night of the murder? How did the accused, Sushil Sharma, Naina’s partner and Youth Congress leader, manage to stave off conviction for close to a decade? Here's everything you need to know about this gruesome case.
1. What exactly happened that night?
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On July 2, 1995, Sushil Sharma, a youth Congress leader, shot dead his wife Naina Sahni over suspicion of her having an extramarital affair. The crime took place at their home in Delhi. Sharma then chopped off her body into pieces and stuffed it in a 'tandoor' on the roof of a popular restaurant, Bagiya Restaurant, which was managed by his friend.
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2. How police came to know about the murder?
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Police patrolling in that area saw smoke rising from Bagiya Restaurant in Ashok Yatri Nivas and decided to check, suspecting a fire. What they found instead, was the body of 29-year-old Naina Sahni, wife of then Delhi Youth Congress President Sushil Sharma.
The restaurant manager, Keshav Kumar who claimed he was burning old Congress banners, was arrested but Sharma managed to flee. It was in Bangalore that Sharma finally surrendered on July 10, pleading innocence.
3. Why this case created a history?
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The 'Tandoor Murder Case' became one of the landmark cases in India in which DNA evidence and a second autopsy were used to establish guilt.
4. Book on Tandoor Murder Case
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Maxwell Pereira, who headed the team that investigated the tandoor murder case of Delhi, wrote a book on one of India’s most sensational murder cases.
5. Chronology of events
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Following is the chronology of events in the Tandoor murder case, in which the Delhi High Court Friday ordered "forthwith" release of former youth Congress leader Sushil Kumar Sharma, serving life term for the murder of his wife Naina Sahni in 1995.
Jul 2, 1995: Police recover burnt body of Naina Sahni from Baghiya restaurant in Ashok Yatri Niwas (now Sanghrila hotel). Arrests restaurant manager Keshav Kumar.
Jul 10: Police arrest Sharma in Bangalore.
Jul 27: Police files chargesheet.
6. Chronology of events
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May 9,1996: Trial court frames charges of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence against five persons.
Nov 3: Court convicts Sharma.
Nov 7: Sharma sentenced to death, Keshav gets seven years rigorous imprisonment.
Dec 2003: Sharma moves Delhi HC challenging trial court judgement.
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7. Chronology of events
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Aug, 2006: HC fixes hearing on day-to-day basis.
Feb 19, 2007: HC upholds death sentence of Sharma.
Oct 8,2013: SC commutes to life imprisonment the death penalty of Sharma.
Dec 21, 2018: HC orders "forthwith" release of Sharma.
