Cab driver convicted in Pratibha rape-and-murder case

BANGALORE: A city court on Wednesday convicted cab driver Shiv Kumar in the rape-and-murder case of BPO employee Pratibha Srikanthamurthy.

Pratibha, an employee of Hewlett-Packard BPO arm in Bangalore, was raped and murdered in 2005 by Shiv Kumar, the driver of a vehicle leased by her employer.

Shiv Kumar first confessed to the crime, but later backtracked and denied all the charges against him.

He later went on to say that he was not all connected with the case and didn't even know the BPO employee.

Earlier on September 17, the fast-track court deferred its judgement in the case.

The trial has been in the courts for four and a half years.

The driver took Murthy to an isolated place and later slit her throat before dumping the body in a pit near Anjanapura layout on December 13, 2005.