The sensational trial of Kuntal Patel, 37, who fantasised about killing her mother with a tv-show inspired poison was brought to an equally arresting close when the jury convicted the accused under the Biological Warfare Act.
This is the first time this legislation has been exercised, sentencing Patel to three years in jail. Though Patel was cleared of the attempted murder of her mother Meena Patel, she was found guilty of acquiring a biological toxin similar to ricin. The drug is used by a drug-lord in the cult drama 'Breaking-Bad' to lace someone's glass and kill them.
String-watching episodes of the show, a dejected Patel said she used dark fantasy as a coping mechanism against her “controlling” and “selfish” mother and also claimed in court that the poison was in reality meant to be for suicide after her mother interfered with her potential engagement plans to an American citizen.
Presiding judge, Justice Rabinder Singh said today at the Southward Crown Court that Kuntal had undergone “a prolonged period of severe stress” and had acted desperately because she saw "no way out." Kuntal was brought to court after FBI forces traced her illegal toxin purchases on the 'dark web'. In messages to an American dealer she had said she needed a 'tasteless' and 'deadly toxin' to get someone 'out of the way'.
