Miss Conduct E01 - Cyanide Mallika
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Our first episode is out! You can find it at IVM Podcast Networks and wherever you get your podcasts.
To be honest, Cyanide Mallika was not our first option. We found her a bit overdone. There are movies about her. She crops up in the papers at least once every couple of years. Google “Indian serial killer” and she’s right up there on the list. So, why did we go with her?
Well, as we mentioned in the episode, a major reason we picked Mallika was the RTI filed by Mr. Sreenath (of Ernakulam District). Mr. Sreenath just really wanted to know what was happening with Mallika’s case. If you take a quick look at the questions he threw to the Bangalore court in his RTI, one would wager that he was a Mallika Mega-Fan. And navigating the Indian criminal justice system and its multitude of procedures has never been easy to begin with. Even Ragavi, who is a lawyer, finds it incredibly difficult to pull out case files sometimes. One, because she’s not a criminal lawyer. And two, an intern did it for her the last couple of years, so it’s a skill that she has phased out of her life.
In any case, we found it extremely upsetting that Mr. Srinath was told “NO” in the way that he was. All he wanted was some answers. So we decided to give him some.
You can find the RTI appeal decision here, along with other primary and secondary sources that we have referred to.
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Love (platonically),
Ragavi & Nisha
Sources:
· Woman serial-killer nabbed | Indian Express | 31 December 2007 | http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/woman-serialkiller-nabbed/256234/
· First woman serial killer nabbed | TOI | 1 January 2008 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/First-woman-serial-killer-nabbed/articleshow/2665976.cms
· Lady killer with cyanide prasad Prayer bait for victims | Telegraph India | 1 January 2008 | https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/lady-killer-with-cyanide-prasad-prayer-bait-for-victims/cid/627689
· Mallika in jail, but her motive for killings eludes cops | Indian Express | 3 January 2008 | http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/mallika-in-jail-but-her-motive-for-killings/257381/
· Serial killer Kempamma murdered 7 | TOI | 26 January 2008 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Serial-killer-Kempamma-murdered-7/articleshow/2733074.cms
· Probe reveals Mallika killed one more woman | The Hindu | 26 January 2008 | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/Probe-reveals-Mallika-killed-one-more-woman/article15151906.ece
· Woman serial killer 'Cyanide Mallika' gets death sentence | TOI | 24 March 2009 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Woman-serial-killer-Cyanide-Mallika-gets-death-sentence/articleshow/4311321.cms
· ‘Cyanide’ Mallika sentenced to death | The Hindu | 25 March 2009 | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/lsquoCyanidersquo-Mallika-sentenced-to-death/article16648162.ece
· Murders Most Foul | Telegraph India | 8 November 2009 | https://www.telegraphindia.com/7-days/murders-most-foul/cid/572249 (Reference to Mallika and SK Umesh’s statement)
· Cyanide Mallika gets death | TOI | 31 March 2012 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Cyanide-Mallika-gets-death/articleshow/12476553.cms
· Death sentence awarded to serial killer | The Hindu | 31 March 2012 | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/death-sentence-awarded-to-serial-killer/article3264654.ece
· Karnataka woman ‘serial killer’ sentenced to death | Indian Express | 1 April 2012 | http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/karnataka-woman--serial-killer--sentenced-to-death/931071/
· Death penalty: HC to hear 'Cyanide Mallika' plea from Monday | TOI | 28 July 2012 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Death-penalty-HC-to-hear-Cyanide-Mallika-plea-from-Monday/articleshow/15235459.cms
· Serial killer Mallika's death sentence reduced to life | NDTV | 2 August 2012 | https://www.ndtv.com/south/serial-killer-mallikas-death-sentence-reduced-to-life-495237
· Cyanide Mallika's murders do not warrant noose, says HC | Bangalore Mirror | 3 August 2012 | https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/cyanide-mallikas-murders-do-not-warrant-noose-says-hc/articleshow/21333160.cms
· Mallika’s death penalty commuted to life sentence | 3 August 2012 | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/mallikas-death-penalty-commuted-to-life-sentence/article3720619.ece
· Life term for serial killer Cyanide Mallika | 30 October 2013 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Life-term-for-serial-killer-Cyanide-Mallika/articleshow/24892903.cms
· Mallika gets life term for homemaker’s murder | 30 October 2013 | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/mallika-gets-life-term-for-homemakers-murder/article5287291.ece
· Cyanide Mallika: Sasikala's neighbour in jail, Jayalalithaa's fan and India's first female serial killer | 17 February 2017 | https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cyanide-mallika-sasikala-jayalalithaa-bengaluru-jail-961260-2017-02-17
· Next Door To VK Sasikala In Jail Is Cyanide Mallika, Doing Life For 6 Murders | 17 February 2017 | https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/next-door-to-vk-sasikala-in-jail-is-cyanide-mallika-doing-life-for-6-murders-1660635
· Sasikala neighbour 'Cyanide' Mallika shifted | 22 February 2017 | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/sasikala-neighbour-cyanide-mallika-shifted/articleshow/57283066.cms
· https://districts.ecourts.gov.in/sites/default/files/RTI_2.pdf | 22 August 2017
HC sets aside death sentence of 'Cyanide' Mallika | 16 September 2017 | https://www.deccanherald.com/content/633352/hc-sets-aside-death-sentence.html