17-year-old accused in Bengaluru family murders may face adult trial

The 17-year-old accused of assisting her father in the murder of seven members of their family in Bengaluru could face trial as an adult if a juvenile justice board determines she meets the criteria under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The law allows children aged 16–18 accused of heinous offences, including murder, to be tried as adults following a preliminary assessment of their capacity to understand and commit the alleged crime.

The girl, a second-year pre-university student at a private college, allegedly assisted S Indushekar, 52, in killing his wife, Sunitha, and six of her relatives at their home over about 15 days in October. She was arrested along with her father on November 5.

A police officer said investigators are probing the extent of her involvement, including claims by her father that she helped bring relatives to the house, conceal the killings, and transport and dispose of the bodies. “The main point being considered is whether Indushekar manipulated his daughter into helping him dispose of the bodies.”

The first information report (FIR) registered in the case on November 5 names Indushekar and his daughter as accused. Indushekar is listed as an adult accused. His daughter is classified as a juvenile in conflict with the law.

A juvenile justice board must assess the child’s mental and physical capacity to commit the alleged offence, her ability to understand its consequences, and the circumstances in which it was committed under the Juvenile Justice Act Section 15. The assessment can involve psychologists and other experts.

The officer said if the board decides that the case warrants an adult trial, it can transfer the matter to the children’s court under Section 18(3). “The children’s court must independently decide whether the child should face an adult trial or be dealt with under the juvenile justice system.”

The officer said the seriousness of the allegations alone does not determine the outcome. The girl’s understanding of the alleged crimes and the extent to which she was influenced or coerced by her father will be important considerations.

Investigators suspect that Indushekar turned his daughter against her mother’s family, portraying the relatives as enemies and allegedly telling her that eliminating them would improve their financial position because the property would eventually belong to her.

The girl allegedly contacted her maternal grandmother, Roopavathi, after her mother Sunitha’s murder and asked her to visit the house. She allegedly invited her maternal aunts for dinner, telling them that Sunitha was away on a trip. She reportedly messaged her aunt Divya’s sister, Chandana, claiming that the family was travelling.

Police are investigating her suspected role in packing the bodies, transporting them in the car, and cleaning the crime scene.

Karnataka home minister Priyank Kharge said Indushekar allegedly brainwashed his daughter and made her assist in the crime.

Police said Indushekar allegedly transported the bodies in his car and disposed of them at different locations with his daughter’s assistance. Forensic Science Laboratory and Scene of Crime Officer teams inspected the recovery sites, while postmortem examinations were conducted.

Investigators are now focusing on forensic evidence to establish the sequence and timing of the killings and are analysing CCTV footage. The bodies were recovered from locations in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.