Premananda Conviction Upheld By Supreme Court

The Indian Skeptic reports a story by the Deccan Herald about the Indian Supreme Court upholding the life-sentence judgement on Swami Premananda for rape of minors and a murder.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and life sentence for two terms awarded to Swamy Premananda of Tiruchirapally ashram in Tamil Nadu for raping 13 women and murdering one man, all inmates of his ashram.

A division bench comprising Justice B N Agarwal and Justice H K Sema confirmed the judgement of the Madras High Court affirming the conviction and sentence awarded to Swamy Premananda by the trial court.

In view of the gravity of the offence and the deleterious effect it had not only on the victims but also on the society at large, any remission of sentence announced either by the Central or the State government would not apply to Swamy Premananda, said the apex court in an order.
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The prosecution’s story was that the convict, hailing from Sri Lanka, had established an ashram near Tiruchirapally and used to entice women inmates, 13 of the whom were raped in 1994. He also murdered Ravi, another inmate.

“We do not find any infirmity in the order passed by the High Court and it does not call for any interference,” the bench said, adding that both the trial court and the High Court were correct in convicting him.

In August 1997 the trial court had convicted and awarded two life terms and imposed a fine of Rs 66 lakh on Swamy Premananda. During the pendency of the appeal before the High Court, he had paid the amount of fine imposed on him.

The High Court had confirmed the conviction and sentence in December 2002.

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