The high court today awarded two years imprisonment to Mr Siddhartha reddy, accused in the case relating to the sensational death of upcoming actress Pratyusha in 2002.

Delivering its verdict on Siddhartha Reddy’s petition which challenged the lower court judgment, the high court asked him to pay a penalty of Rs.50, 000 and surrender to the court with in 15 days for facing the imprisonment.

The Nampally criminal court found his involvement in the death of Pratyusha and sentenced him to six years imprisonment but Siddhartha reddy challenged the verdict. After a prolonged hearing of the case, the state apex court delivered its judgment today.

It may be recalled that Pratyusha and his alleged lover Siddhartha reddy, son of a highly influential contractor of Hyderabad, were admitted to the Care Hospital in an unconscious state on February 23, 2002. It was alleged they consumed poison-mixed cool drinks after family elders refused to okay their marriage proposal.

Surprisingly, the hospital management didn’t inform the police about their admission into the hospital despite knowing it was a medico-legal case. The police were informed only after Pratyusha died at 11.45 am on February 24, ending any chance of the police recording a dying declaration from the actress.

However, Siddhartha reddy survived the incident but faced the case in the Nampally criminal court which found him responsible for the death of Pratyusha and sentenced him for six years of imprisonment.

Siddhartha reddy spent 115 days in jail after which he came out on bail. He later challenged the verdict in HC.

The police also made a flip flop several times on the actress death saying that it could be a possible rape and murder and then scotching their own theories.

Forensic doctors at the Gandhi Hospital said her death was due to asphyxia, while the forensic science laboratory confirmed Pratyusha died due to organo-phosphorous poisoning.

Pratyusha’s mother to approach Supreme Court

Pratyusha’s mother Sarojini expressed unhappiness over the verdict and said justice was not done in the case. Sarojini, who alleged that sons of some highly influential people were behind the death of her daughter, said she would approach the Supreme Court. (JUBS)