NEW DELHI: The Special Judge for CBI Cases, Bengaluru has sentenced James Kumar Ray (private person) to undergo life imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- in a case related to the murder of Smt. Payal Surekha, an Information Technology professional. The Court further ordered that the husband of the victim is entitled for the said fine amount in the form of compensation.
The case was initially registered by JP Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru against unknown persons u/s 302 of IPC relating to the murder of Smt. Payal Surekha, an Information Technology professional at her flat in JP Nagar, Bengaluru on 17.12.2010. The Local Police filed a charge sheet before the ACMM, Bengaluru against the accused James Kumar Ray.
Subsequently, in view of the orders of the Supreme Court of India, the case was transferred to CBI for further investigation.
CBI investigation revealed that Ms. Payal Surekha married Anantha Narayana Mishra in 2008, who was running a gymnasium in Bengaluru where Sh. James Kumar Ray and one of his friends was working as a trainer. In 2009, Sh. Anantha Narayana Mishra opened another gym in Cuttack in partnership with another of his friends. In absence of partners of the gym in Cuttack, James Kumar Ray who was working as a trainer at the gym allegedly started posing himself as the owner of the gym and also misappropriated funds of the gym. The same had been brought to the knowledge of Anantha Narayana Mishra by his father. Subsequently, Sh. James Kumar Ray was removed as a trainer and another trainer was appointed. The sudden change affected the financial position as well as the social status enjoyed by Sh. James Kumar Ray. It was also alleged that Sh. Anantha Narayana Mishra and his father castigated Sh. James Kumar Ray in front of all gym trainees. James Kumar Ray felt deeply insulted by the harsh words of Sh. Anantha Narayana Mishra and decided to take revenge on them.
James Kumar Ray hatched a plan to take revenge against Sh. Anantha Narayana Mishra by murdering his wife Smt. Payal Surekha, who was living alone at Bengaluru. On 16.12.2010, James Kumar Ray confirmed the movements of Anantha Narayana Mishra at Odisha and reached Bengaluru on 17.12.2010 at the house of the victim. He found Smt. Payal Surekha (victim) alone in the house. The accused James Kumar Ray brutally stabbed her with a knife and killed her. After committing the murder, the accused left Bengaluru for Hyderabad. The brutal and cold-blooded murder of Payal Surekha was committed within the four walls of the house.
After a thorough and painstaking investigation, CBI filed a Charge Sheet against the accused James Kumar Ray u/s 302, 404 and 201 of IPC. The Trial Court found the accused guilty and convicted him.