Donthireddy Archana, who was in prison for over 15 months after being arrested in the sensational honour killing case of her son-in-law, was granted bail by Telangana High Court.
Justice Kanneganti Lalitha of the HC, allowing a criminal petition seeking bail for the woman, said the petitioner should be set free on furnishing a bond of ₹20,000 and two sureties each of equal sum. The judge made it clear that Archana, who was the third accused in the honour killing case, must not influence the witnesses.
She should appear for the trial of the case, which had already commenced, on each and every adjournment. The judge also imposed a condition that the petitioner should not enter limits of the police stations of Gachchibowli and Ramachandrapuram. She must live in the jurisdiction of L.B. Nagar police station only till completion of the trial of the case. Forty-five-year-old Archana, her husband Laxma Reddy and 14 others were arrested for the abduction and murder of Hemanth committed in the last week of September, 2020. Hemanth belonging to Vysya community fell in love with Avanthi of Reddy community. Avanthi married Hemanth reportedly against the wishes of her parents Archana and Laxma Reddy. Her parents allegedly got Hemanth kidnapped and murdered with the help of a gang of hired assassins, according to the police. Archana, her husband and 14 other accused (including three women who are Archana’s family members) in the case were in the prison since their arrest in September, 2020.
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Three women accused in the case eventually got bail in the case from the HC. Their husbands, however, are still in jail. Archana is the fourth woman to secure bail in the honour killing case. Her husband, who was the second accused in the case, is also still in prison.