The appeals filed by the defendant cum convicts who were given the death penalty over the 2015 abduction, gang rape and murder of schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya, seeking their acquittal from the sentences imposed on them, has been fixed for hearing by the Supreme Court (SC).

The appeal petitions were taken up before the SC bench consisting of Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Gamini Amarasekara and Arjuna Obeyesekere yesterday (20).

The three-Judge bench, which considered the facts presented, ordered that the appeals be taken up for hearing on 6 October 2023.

The prison officers had produced the defendants of the relevant case including the chief accused “Swiss Kumar” before Court, amid heavy security.

The Jaffna High Court, which heard the case filed over the abduction, gang rape and murder of 18-year-old schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya, gave the death penalty to the seven accused including “Swiss Kumar” on 27 September 2017. Delivering the much-anticipated verdict after the widely publicised trial came to an end, the Trial At Bar sentenced the seven accused to death and also ordered them to pay Rs. 1 million as compensation to the victim’s family. In addition to the death penalty, the convicts were handed down further penalties. .

Sivaloganathan Vidya, from Pungudutivu, was abducted, gang raped and murdered in Jaffna, whilst returning home from school on 13 May 2015.

However, the appealing parties seek an order from the SC that the relevant death penalty be declared to have been imposed in violation of the law and to therefore acquit them from the charges.