The 1978 kidnapping that changed Indian legal history and media access to prisoners
In short: When siblings Geeta and Sanjay Chopra were abducted in New Delhi, the resulting tragedy ignited national outrage. Beyond the crime itself, the case became a landmark in Indian jurisprudence, ultimately forcing the Supreme Court to grant journalists the right to interview death row convicts, forever altering the relationship between media and prisons.
On 26 August 1978, 16-year-old Geeta and 14-year-old Sanjay Chopra were kidnapped in New Delhi while heading to a radio station. The perpetrators, Kuljeet Singh (Ranga) and Jasbir Singh (Billa), had initially targeted them for ransom, but murdered the siblings after learning their father was a naval officer, wrongly assuming he lacked wealth. The case drew intense scrutiny, with Prime Minister Morarji Desai taking a personal interest, and the political fallout contributed to the ruling Janata Party losing power in Delhi.
The investigation relied on forensic evidence, including fingerprints found on a hospital skiagraph and soil samples from the crime scene. Despite the kidnappers retracting their initial confessions, the court found them guilty of kidnapping and murder. Both men were sentenced to death, a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court in 1981 after several appeals. They were executed on 31 January 1982, with neither body claimed by relatives.
The case is legally significant for the landmark Supreme Court ruling on 7 November 1981, which established that death row convicts could be interviewed by journalists if they consented. This decision followed a challenge by journalist Prabha Dutt after Tihar jail authorities initially denied access. On 30 January 1982, five reporters interviewed Billa, who maintained his innocence, while Ranga refused to participate. This precedent remains a cornerstone of the debate regarding the rights of the press to access prisoners.
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