The Supreme Court has upheld the life imprisonment of a woman and her accomplices for a murder committed in 2003, but has requested the Governor of Karnataka to consider their remission plea. The court has given the convicts eight weeks to file petitions seeking pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution, and stated that they should not be arrested while the Governor considers their plea.

The case involves Shubha Shankarnarayan, a then 20-year-old law student, and three others who were convicted of murdering her fiancé, B.V. Girish. Shubha was engaged to Girish on November 30, 2003. Just days later, on December 3, she asked Girish to take her to dinner and then insisted on stopping at a spot near the Airport Ring Road to watch airplanes land. There, Girish was attacked and murdered by Arun Verma, Shubha's alleged boyfriend, and two of his accomplices.

All four were convicted by the trial court in 2010 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Karnataka High Court upheld the conviction, and the convicts then appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeals, affirming the High Court's decision and upholding the life sentences. The Court stated it was satisfied with the evidence on record. However, the bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar made note of the convicts' ages at the time of the crime, as well as their good behavior during their incarceration. The court also reflected on the social dynamics that may have contributed to the crime, including Shubha's relationship with her family. The court observed that society often plays a role in shaping criminal behavior through systemic failures and inequalities.

Acknowledging that the convicts are now middle-aged and have not had any adverse conduct reports during their imprisonment, the Supreme Court suggested that they deserved a second chance at life. The court observed that the crime was a result of an error in judgement and a dangerous adventure, not from the convicts being inherently criminal.

The Supreme Court has directed that the convicts not be arrested and that their sentences remain suspended until the Governor has considered their mercy petitions. The court has requested that the Governor consider the petitions, taking into account the relevant circumstances of the case. The Supreme Court has also granted the convicts eight weeks to file their pardon petitions.