Surupa Guha murder case: Who is the culprit?

Surupa: strong-willed and determinedCalcutta's Additional District and Sessions Judge Ranabir Mahapatra's judgement on the five-year-old Surupa Guha death case last fortnight had all the makings of an Agatha Christie mystery thriller. It was not a case of suicide but murder, asserted Mahapatra adding that he had not been able to pin point the murderer from the available evidence.Standing trial before him was Surupa's husband, Indranath, principal of Calcutta's renowned South Point School and one of the suspects in the case. Indranath was, however, acquitted of the murder charge but found guilty of tampering with evidence and sentenced to two year's imprisonment. His lawyers managed to secure bail for him as well as leave to appeal to the High Court within the next two months.The Guha case, which rocked Calcutta in 1976, has again raised fresh question marks. Of primary concern to those who have taken an avid interest in the case is a definite answer to the question: Who is the culprit?Surupa, a 28-year-old science student, was rushed to the Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital on May 4, 1976 in a precarious condition. Soon after she reached the hospital, she died, allegedly because of mercury chloride poisoning. The defence had argued that it was a case of suicide, but Judge Mahapatra ruled it out, stating that it was a clear case of homicide. The poison had been surreptitiously introduced in a glass of lassi (buttermilk) which Surupa drank.Rare View: The public's interest in the case was fuelled by the Guhas' relative affluence. They belong to the upper strata of Calcutta society and Indranath is known to be a free mixer. The local media had literally gone overboard during the early stages of the trial, dragging Indranath's friends, including film actress Aparna Sen, into the affair for no rhyme or reason. Further, the trial offered a rare view into Calcutta's exclusive clubs seen through the eyes of press reporters. It was almost a trial by newspapers and most people seemed convinced that it was the husband who had been responsible for the crime. Judge Mahapatra's acquittal of Indranath will no doubt disappoint many but there is at least one consolation: the mystery remains. If Indranath had tampered with the evidence, he could have been trying to shield someone near to him. Who could that person be?Immediately after Surupa's death, the police had arrested both Surupa's in-laws, Satikanta Guha, founder of South Point School and an award-winning novelist, his wife, Pritilata and Surupa's husband, Indranath. After they had spent over a month in judicial custody, the charges against Satikanta and Pritilata were dropped for lack of evidence. But now, according to criminal lawyers, if Indranath appeals to a higher court, then, on the basis of evidence since recorded by Justice Mahapatra, they may again he dragged into the picture. One of the facts that emerged during the trial was that Surupa was not on particularly good terms with both her in-laws and her husband. Judge Mahapatra's judgement is silent on this point, presumably because he has not been able to identify the killer.Split Personality: The judgement has, however, brought relief to most students of South Point School. Indranath enjoys immense popularity with his students, whom he teaches English literature. If the evidence against him in court is to be believed then Indranath was a split personality, a scintillating teacher during the day who turned into a raging alcoholic at night.Indranath: guilty of tampering with evidenceAs the trial progressed, rumours were afloat of shady goings on at the Guha household and the alleged threat by Surupa, who was a determined girl by all accounts, that she will one day "tell the whole world of what goes on within the four walls of this house".Indeed it sounded almost like the script of a Hindi movie: a chaste and strong-willed wife up in arms against evil forces represented by her husband and her in-laws. There was also a hint of the local police trying to hush up the case and actually failing to do so at the intervention of a senior officer who happened to be a relative of Surupa from her parents' side.Women, particularly, had been aroused by the case. This was evident from their sizeable presence at the court-room during the entire period of the trial and especially on the day of the judgement. Now they are all eager to find out if the High Court can unravel the final chapter of the mystery murder.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 29, 2013 13:20 IST--- ENDS ---

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Surupa Guha murder case: Who is the culprit?

Calcutta's Additional District and Sessions Judge Ranabir Mahapatra's judgement on the five-year-old Surupa Guha death case last fortnight had all the makings of an Agatha Christie mystery thriller.

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