Miscarriage Of Justice | न्याय का दमन
Priyadarshini Mattoo, a 25-year-old law student pursuing her LLB degree at Delhi University, was murdered during her final year of law school. She was brutally raped, beaten with a motorcycle helmet, and strangled with a wire. The main suspect in her murder was Santosh Kumar Singh, who had been stalking and harassing her for a prolonged period. Santosh was a senior at the same college and belonged to a well-connected family. His father, J.P. Singh, served as the Inspector General of Police in Jammu & Kashmir and as the Joint Commissioner of Police in Delhi during the court trial.
Priyadarshini had reported Santosh Singh’s harassment to the police multiple times and was granted security. Santosh’s defense claimed that she was pursuing two degrees simultaneously, but this allegation was found to be false.
January 23, 1996
Despite receiving police protection, Santosh continued to stalk Priyadarshini. He knew when she was alone and took advantage of the situation. On the day her security guard was absent, he went to her uncle’s home in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, where she was staying, and convinced her to let him in to discuss a compromise regarding the case against him. Once inside, he violently assaulted and raped her and struck her in the face with his motorcycle helmet.
Things observed on Priyadarshini’s body included multiple wounds. She had been raped and strangled with an electric wire. At the time of the murder, her parents were away from home. After returning, they informed the police about Santosh. Within a few hours of the murder, the police called Santosh Singh for questioning. During questioning, officers noticed an injury on his right palm. He claimed he had been injured in an accident on January 14, but a medical examination revealed that the injury was recent.
The next day, the case attracted nationwide media attention. Delhi was in turmoil, and the Delhi Police came under immense pressure. Officers raided Santosh’s house and recovered his motorcycle helmet with a broken visor. Considering the influence of Santosh’s father, the case was transferred to the CBI within 48 hours. The CBI took custody of all the evidence collected by the Delhi Police and obtained Santosh’s blood sample. DNA recovered from Priyadarshini’s undergarments matched Santosh’s DNA. Investigators also questioned two of Priyadarshini’s neighbors, who had seen her outside her residence on the day of the murder.
An small documentary from India Investigates (Fox History):
Priyadarshini Mattoo Case Video
YouTube:
Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnacHfRIxr4
Part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxGTrgTSggY
SonyLiv:
Part 1: Miscarriage Of Justice: Crime Patrol Dial 100 Part 1
Part 2: Miscarriage Of Justice: Crime Patrol Dial 100 Part 2
More Coverage:
Crime Stories: Priyadarshini Mattoo