The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered its final verdict in the death case of Telugu film actress Prathyusha, which had created a sensation in the Telugu states two decades ago.
The apex court dismissed a petition filed by accused Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy challenging the prison sentence imposed by the high court.
Upholding the high court order, the Supreme Court directed Siddhartha Reddy to surrender within four weeks.
According to case records, Prathyusha and Siddhartha Reddy were in a relationship while studying Intermediate in Hyderabad.
After completing Intermediate, Prathyusha entered the film industry while Siddhartha Reddy pursued engineering.
On February 23, 2002, both were admitted to a private hospital after consuming poison.
Prathyusha died on February 24, while Siddhartha Reddy was discharged on March 9 after treatment.
Investigations revealed that both had consumed a soft drink mixed with pesticide.
A medical board constituted by the state government concluded that Prathyusha died due to organophosphate poisoning and found no evidence of suffocation or sexual assault prior to her death.
Based on the findings, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Siddhartha Reddy under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 309 (attempt to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.
In 2004, a Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Court sentenced him to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000.
In 2011, the high court reduced the jail term to two years while enhancing the fine to Rs 50,000.
Both Siddhartha Reddy and Prathyusha’s mother Sarojini Devi filed separate appeals in the Supreme Court in 2012.
After hearing the matter and reserving its verdict, the apex court has now directed Siddhartha Reddy to surrender and undergo the sentence as confirmed by the high court.