Umesh Reddy

It's death for ripper Umesh Reddy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of former police constable Umesh Reddy, alias B A Umesh, and known as `Jack the Ripper', who was convicted of the gruesome rape and murder of a widow in Bangalore 12 years ago. It said the manner of committing the offence brings it within the category of "rarest of rare" cases.
A bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and A K Pathak refused to show any leniency to the convict, who had raped and smothered the victim after tying her hands behind her. Her son, then 8 years old, was witness to the crime, and had given evidence.
The Supreme Court judges said: "We are satisfied that the extreme depravity with which the offences were committed, and the merciless manner in which death was inflicted on the victim, brings it within the category of rarest of rare cases, which merits the death penalty," the court said.
Umesh Reddy was earlier convicted by a division bench of the Karnataka High Court on October 4, 2007, on the charge of rape and murder of Jayashree Maradi Subbaiah, a widow, on February 28, 1998, in Peenya. But the judges had differed on the quantum of sentence -- while Justice V G Sabhahit confirmed the lower court's order imposing death penalty, Justice Ravi B Naik differed with it by saying death penalty as a deterrent has failed to curb crime, and modified the lower court's order to RI for life, with no scope for amnesty under any circumstances.
The

City Fast Track Court

had convicted Umesh Reddy on October 26, 2006, and had imposed death penalty for rape and murder of Jayashree. Police had arrested him on March 2, 1998.
The Supreme Court also took into consideration that the convict was a habitual offender who was earlier convicted for various offences. "The antecedents of the appellant and his subsequent conduct indicates that he is a menace to society, and is incapable of rehabilitation. The offences committed by the appellant were neither under duress nor on provocation, and an innocent life was snuffed out by him after committing violent rape on the victim," the bench said.
Earlier, former judge of the High Court Justice S R Bannurmath, the third judge appointed to decide the fate of Umesh Reddy alias B A Umesh, had upheld the city sessions court's order imposing the death penalty.
KILLING FIELDS
* On Feb 28, 1998, Reddy raped and murdered a widow, Jayashree Maradi Subbaiah
* Her 8-yr-old son was witness to the crime
* Accused in over 15 rape cases
* He had also allegedly raped and murdered Roopa in Chitradurga
* Was a habitual robber
* A transvestite, he stole women's undergarments and wore them