Crime Perpetrated on Papiya

An utterly heinous and barbaric crime was perpetrated on Papiya Ghosh on 3rd December 2006 at her home, 168, Patliputra Colony, Patna (India) . She was stabbed to death with multiple wounds and assault by an armed group of half a dozen criminals who robbed her of most of her belongings and also murdered her domestic help, Malti Devi, who was the lone witness. Papiya was single and lived alone in her ancestral property.
The masterminds and the motives behind the gruesome brutality have yet to be unsheathed.

Justice remains a dim and very distant hope.

The Status of Investigation & Trial

The FIR relating to the crime against Papiya was lodged on 3rd December, 2006. Police arrested five persons, who were in possession of the goods stolen from Papiya’s Residence, on 16th December, 2006. Two more persons are yet to be arrested. The Charge-Sheet was filed against the five arrested on 27th January, 2007.

The case – State vs. Ramachandra Mahato and others – bears No. ST 188 of 2007 has been committed for Trial to FTC No. 5, Patna, headed by Justice Om Prakash. Charges were framed against the arrested under Sections 396 and 412 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Trial Court handed down its verdict on 18th September, 2008, holding all the five guilty. On 19th September 2008, Shankar Sau was awarded the death sentence. Manohar Kumar, Ashish Kumar and Anil Oraon were given life imprisonment. Ramachandra Mahto was held guilty u/s 414 IPC and imprisoned for a two year term.

Unfortunately, the death sentence was not confirmed by the Patna High Court and converted to life imprisonment.

However, this has also been appealed by the convicted in the Supreme Court of India in a Criminal Appeal case , Ram Chandra Mahto vs State of Bihar , No 10327/10. No developments in this case are known to Papiya’s family inspite of various attempts to seek information from the Government of Bihar and its Standing Counsel in New Delhi, Gopal Singh.

In 2010 Bihar Police apprehended two more accused from Jharkhand and Punjab and after a gap of 2 years initiated a Trial in FT Court, ST No 1015 of ADJ 3, First Civil Court Patna. There has been no progress in this trial in the LAST DECADE, on some pretext or the other, inter-alia, related to case records not being available, witnesses not showing up, adjournments granted etc.

JUSTICE IS YET TO BE DELIVERED TO PAPIYA.

Media Coverage Excerpts

Why CBI Probe ? They Can’t Solve Murders, Says Nitish

J P YADAV, 11 DECEMBER 2006, INDIAN EXPRESS, NEW DELHI

Why Are Papiya Killers Still Unidentified ?

PARTHA PRATIM ROY, 11 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA.

Murder Rocks Houses

11 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA.

Teachers To Strike Work For CBI Probe

VK Tripathi 10 Dec 2006, Hindustan Times , Patna

Parties Sore Over Slow Investigation

10 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES CORRESPONDENT, PATNA.

Papiya Murder : No Breakthrough Yet

Pranava K Chaudhary & Alok Mishra 9 Dec 2006, Times Of India

CPI(ML) Seeks CBI Probe

8 DECEMBER 2006, TIMES NEWS NETWORK, PATNA.

Look Out For That Book On ‘Burglars Incorporated’

MAMMEN MATHEW, 6 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA.

CM Seeks Report On Papiya Case

RAMASHANKAR 6 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA

City Prof Killing Still A Mystery

GYAN PRAKASH, 5 DECEMBER 2006, TIMES OF INDIA, PATNA.

JNU Condoles Brutal Killing

5 DECEMBER 2006, TIMES OF INDIA, PATNA.

PU Functioning Paralysed

BK MISHRA, 5 DECEMBER 2006, TIMES NEWS NETWORK, PATNA.

Petitions For Justice Over The Years – A Brief Scan

Latest Petition to Chief Secretary, Bihar, India, by Dr Tuktuk Ghosh, Papiya’s sister

Trials in the case of double murder of Prof. Papiya Ghosh of Patna University and Malti Devi on 3rd December

Petition to Chief Secretary, Bihar, India, by Dr Tuktuk Ghosh, Papiya’s sister

Trials in the case of double murder of Prof. Papiya Ghosh of Patna University and Malti Devi on 3rd December

Petition to Hon’ble Prime Minister by Dr Tuktuk Ghosh, Papiya’s sister.

To The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Govt. of India New Delhi 11 December, 2006 Respected Sir, Prof. Papiya Ghosh

Petition to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India by Keya Sen, Papiya’s sister.

To Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, South Block, New Delhi – 110001. 3 April, 2008 Respected Sir, Subject:

To Dr. Manmohan Singh the Honourable Prime Minister of India by Academic Colleagues

RE: DEMAND FOR JUSTICE IN THE MURDERS OF DR. PAPIYA GHOSH AND MALTI DEVITuesday, December 5, 2006 We are writing

Petition to the Prime Minister of India by Academic Colleagues, Seeking Justice

To Dr. Manmohan Singh The Honorable Prime Minister of India South Block, Raisina Hill New Delhi 110011 December 8th, 2006