Teen accused of killing grandma gets bail

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to 19-year-old Harshitha, who allegedly bludgeoned her 75-year-old grandmother with a rolling pin, left her bleeding to die and then went on to party with her friends by pledging her granny's jewellery.

The court while granting bail has imposed certain conditions including a bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety for the like sum and has also made it clear that the accused should not involve herself in any criminal activity and that she should attend all the hearings before the trial court and should cooperate with the trial.

The accused had earlier approached the High Court seeking bail after it was rejected. She had approached the Supreme Court which also dismissed her appeal but granted her the liberty to yet again approach the High Court. Ever since her arrest, she has been in judicial custody for one year, two months.

However, the prosecution had strongly objected to the bail petition stating that the offence alleged against the teen was of a serious magnitude and that  discretion could not be exercised in favour of the accused in the case and submitted that the court at best could direct the trial court to hold the trial on a day-to-day basis.

The advocate for Harshitha had argued that there was no likelihood of commencement of an early trial in the case as there were much older cases pending.

“If the detention is continued then it will ruin her future, particularly since she is an unmarried girl,” advocate for the teen argued while praying that the court take a lenient view by granting bail as the accused was willing to adhere to the conditions for grant of bail.

As the charges against the teen are yet to be framed and since she is ready to obey any condition, the court granted her bail.

According to the police, Harshitha after killing Ramarathnamma, walked away with her gold jewellery the same evening, partied with her friends and spent Rs 50,000. She had pledged the looted jewellery to party. She was arrested nearly two months after the incident.

Following her arrest, her parents and elder sister attempted suicide by consuming an insecticide at a hotel in Shimoga.  The murder took place on May 10, 2014 in J.J. Nagar when Harshitha's parents were away.

The accused worked in Mysuru, and was in Bengaluru to meet her friends. She allegedly pestered her granny to financially help her. Her grandmother owned jewellery worth Rs 16 lakh, police said.