Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the High Court verdict in the actress Pratyusha death case and directed convicted accused Siddharth Reddy to surrender within four weeks.
Dismissing a petition filed by Siddharth Reddy, the Apex Court confirmed the High Court sentence in the actress Pratyusha death case. The court ordered him to surrender before police within four weeks. It also rejected a plea by Pratyusha’s mother Sarojini Devi seeking enhancement of the prison term.
The actress Pratyusha death case dates back to February 23, 2002. On that day, Pratyusha and Siddharth Reddy consumed pesticide allegedly mixed in a cold drink. While she died during treatment, he survived.
Medical reports later concluded that organophosphate poisoning caused her death. Investigators ruled out suffocation or sexual assault. Subsequently, the CBI conducted a detailed probe into the incident.
In 2004, a Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Court convicted Siddharth Reddy in the actress Pratyusha death case. The trial court sentenced him to five years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000. However, in 2011, the High Court reduced the sentence to two years while increasing the fine to Rs 50,000.
Actress Pratyusha death case reaches final stage
With the Supreme Court affirming the High Court judgment, the actress Pratyusha death case has reached its final judicial stage. The ruling effectively closes a legal battle that spanned more than two decades and drew significant attention within the Telugu film industry.