Vineetha murder: TN man guilty

Thiruvananthapuram: Seventh additional sessions court judge, Prasoon Mohan, on Thursday found the accused in the Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case guilty of the charges against him. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on April 21.Rajendran, 40 of Kanyakumari, was found guilty of charges under IPC Sections 302 for murder, 447 for criminal trespass, 397 for robbery and 201 for destroying evidence.Vineetha, 38 of Nedumangad, was murdered on Feb 6, 2022. Rajendran murdered Vineetha at her shop at Ambalamukku for her gold chain of 4.5 sovereigns. The accused later escaped to Tamil Nadu and was arrested from a lodge there.Public prosecutor M Salahudeen requested the court to consider this as the rarest of the rare crime to award the accused capital punishment. Based on prosecution's request, the court directed various departments to submit reports about the accused in seven days. Based on these reports, the court will hear the accused next week before pronouncing the quantum of punishment.The district collector was asked to submit a report on the possibility of the accused committing crimes in the future and also the chances of rehabilitating and reviving the accused. Superintendent of Peroorkada mental health centre was asked to submit a report on his mental health. Superintendent of Poojappura central prison was asked to submit a report on his behaviour while being in jail. Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari district probation officers were asked to submit a report on Rajendran's social life.City police commissioner was asked to submit a report on his criminal antecedents. Details on the personal assets of the accused were also sought from the prosecution.The accused, Rajendran, is a postgraduate and confessed to the court that he robbed gold to invest in share market. He is also an accused in a murder case in which three of a family were killed, during a robbery of gold weighing 95g at Tirunelveli. The trial in the case is ongoing at Nagercoil sessions court.