K R Puram triple murder accused Shwetha Somasundar seeks to confess in court
A 25-year-old woman accused of murdering her parents and younger sister last month in K R Puram appeared before a Bengaluru magistrate's court on Thursday, seeking to voluntarily confess to the crimes. However, the court informed the accused, Shwetha Somasundar, that her judicial confession must be recorded before a different magistrate in accordance with legal procedures.
Shwetha, a tech sector employee who was produced in court at the end of her police custody, submitted an application to confess. When asked by the magistrate if she understood the legal consequences of her confession, Shwetha stated she was aware of the implications and wished to proceed. She noted that she had already confessed to the police and wanted to reiterate her statements in court.
The magistrate's court took Shwetha's application on record but ruled that it must be forwarded through the investigating officer to another magistrate, citing Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The court then remanded Shwetha to judicial custody for 15 days.
Shwetha's live-in partner and co-accused, 25-year-old Kenneth, was not produced in court on Thursday. His police custody had been extended on July 3 to allow investigators to perform scientific tests, including brain mapping.
The arrests followed the June 22 murders of Shwetha's mother, Muthulakshmi S, her father, Somasundar, and her sister, Supriya, at an apartment in the Sai Green apartment complex in K R Puram. According to the police, the couple had initially planned to murder Muthulakshmi, whom Shwetha reportedly resented as "controlling." The resentment reportedly grew after Muthulakshmi questioned Shwetha about bank loans totaling approximately Rs 30 lakh, which investigators believe were taken to support Kenneth's lifestyle.
After allegedly killing Muthulakshmi at the flat, the accused reportedly killed Somasundar and Supriya when they arrived at the apartment looking for Muthulakshmi, whose phone had gone unanswered. Investigators also suspect the murders were triggered by disputes over a share of the family property.
A key piece of evidence in the case is a dying declaration by Somasundar, who was found with multiple stab wounds on a staircase of the Sai Green apartment complex around 9 p.m. on June 22. Before passing away at the hospital, Somasundar told the police that he had been stabbed by Shwetha and Kenneth, and urged them to rescue his wife and younger daughter.
Shwetha was arrested in Puducherry on June 24, while Kenneth was arrested on June 26. Police investigators are also analyzing digital evidence, including internet searches and AI tool usage by Kenneth regarding how to carry out the murder, as well as emails exchanged between the couple.
