CHENNAI: The death of actress Pratyusha remains one of the most-discussed cases in Telugu cinema, involving allegations of rape and murder that differed from the official finding of suicide. After 23 years of legal proceedings, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the case on Tuesday (February 17), upholding the conviction of Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy for abetment to suicide, while ruling out allegations of rape and strangulation. The court directed Reddy to surrender within four weeks.
Pratyusha died in Hyderabad on February 24, 2002 after consuming poison in an apparent suicide pact with Reddy
Pratyusha lost her father at a young age and was raised by her elder brother. She participated in the Television Star 2000 Contest and won the title Miss Lovely Smile. She later began receiving film opportunities. In 1998, she made her Telugu film debut in a film starring Mohan Babu. In Tamil cinema, she was introduced through Manu Needhi (2000), directed by Thambi Ramaiah. She later appeared in Super Kudumbam (2000) with Prabhu, Thavasi (2001) starring Vijayakant, and Kadal Pookkal (2001) with Murali and Manoj Bharathiraja.
According to reports, Pratyusha and Siddhartha Reddy were in a relationship for about six years. While the relationship was accepted by Pratyusha’s mother, Reddy’s mother opposed the alliance. On February 23, 2002, the two travelled together in a car, purchased a bottle of pesticide, mixed it with cola, and consumed it. They later decided not to die and drove themselves to Care Hospital in Hyderabad. Despite medical treatment, Pratyusha died the following day, while Reddy survived. She was 22 at the time of her death.
Reddy was convicted by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Court for abetment of suicide and attempt to commit suicide, and was sentenced to five years in prison. In December 2011, the High Court reduced the sentence to two years and enhanced the fine to Rs 50,000.
In 2012, Pratyusha’s mother, Devi, a government school teacher, approached the Supreme Court, alleging foul play. She claimed her daughter was raped and murdered by influential men. While Reddy challenged his conviction, the victim’s mother sought the case’s trial under rape and murder charges.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan, in a 60-page ruling, ruled out strangulation and rape, and upheld the two-year sentence awarded to Siddhartha Reddy for abetment to suicide. The court said poisoning had been established and that suicide by a pact constituted a culpable offence, and directed Reddy to surrender within four weeks, bringing the long-pending case to a legal conclusion, nearly 24 years after the incident.
The apex court also criticised Dr Muni Swamy for conducting the actress's post-mortem despite not being on duty or on call, noting that another doctor had been officially assigned at the mortuary on February 25, 2002. The Bench said his premature and erroneous opinion, amplified by media reports, triggered public controversy and suspicion of investigators, demonstrating how a single flawed report can distort public perception and derail justice.
The court went on to caution that allowing public sentiment to influence the course of an inquiry risks miscarriages of justice. "While public outrage is understandable in high-profile cases, it should never dictate the course of inquiry,” the Bench said.
(With PTI inputs)