Court Rejects Defendant’s Discharge Plea in Dr. Vandana Das Murder Case

Kollam: The Kollam Additional Sessions Court has rejected the discharge petition filed by the defendant, Sandeep of Cherukarakkonam in Kudavattoor, in the murder case of Dr. Vandana Das, a house surgeon at Kottarakkara Government Hospital. Judge PN Vinod upheld all charges leveled by the prosecution, including culpable homicide, attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, and deterring a public servant from discharging duty. The defendant is directed to appear in court on June 6 for the framing of charges.

During the hearing, the defence argued that Sandeep was mentally unstable and lacked witnesses to the alleged murder. However, Special Prosecutor advocate Prathap G Padikkal cited a 2023 Supreme Court order, emphasizing that discharge petitions should be decided based on prosecution evidence alone. The prosecution highlighted the intentional and brutal nature of the attack, detailing how Sandeep meticulously planned and executed the assault on Dr. Vandana, leading to her tragic demise on May 10, 2023, at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital. The Crime Branch has imposed charges under 11 sections of the Indian Penal Code on Sandeep.