Order on quantum of punishment in Soumya murder case likely today

A Delhi court today deferred to November 7 the hearing on the quantum of sentence for the five men convicted for killing TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008 on grounds that the pre-sentence report and other documents were yet to be filed.

On October 18, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Ravindra Kumar Pandey had convicted Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik, and Ajay Kumar under IPC section 302 (murder) and provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and listed the case for hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence on Thursday.

Taking note of the fact that certain documents, including the pre-sentence report of the probationary officer, had to be filed mandatorily if the maximum sentence in the case is death penalty, the court adjourned the hearing to November 7.