INDIA: PAPIYA MURDER CASE: SHANKAR SHAH GETS DEATH PENALTY

a fast track court in India handed down the death sentence to one in the sensational double murder of eminent History Professor Papiya Ghosh and her maidservant Malti in December, 2006. Judge Om Prakash awarded capital punishment to mastermind Shanker Sah, life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each to Anil Oraon, Manohar Kumar and Ashish Kumar Rai, and two years imprisonment to Ramchandra Mahto. The court convicted them under sections 396 (dacoity with murder) and 412 (dishonestly receiving property stolen in commission of a dacoity) of IPC. Advocate Ramchandra Mahto was convicted under Section 414 (assisting in concealment of stolen property). Two other accused, Sanyog Rai and Mushtaqeem Mian, are absconding. Papiya, a History Professor at the prestigious Patna Women's College and daughter of IAS officer late Ujjwal Ghosh, and her maidservant Malti were hacked to death while resisting a robbery bid at her residence in the posh Pataliputra Colony on December 3, 2006. The five accused were arrested on December 15, 2006 and several articles looted from her house were recovered from the residence of advocate Ramchandra Mahto.