Bengaluru, Oct. 15 -- The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday rejected mercy petitions filed by Shubha Shankaranarayana and D Arun Verma, who are serving life sentences for the December 2003 murder of Shubha's 27-year-old fiance, software engineer B V Girish, in Bengaluru.

The Cabinet held that the killing was premeditated and exceptionally brutal, and that the requests for clemency could not be accepted within the applicable legal framework.

"The recommendation will now be sent to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for a final decision on the petitions. The Home Department had obtained opinions from the police and prison departments before placing the matter before the Cabinet," home minister Priyank Kharge said after the meeting on Thursday.

The...