Court finds act was “coldly calculated” as victim dies, and fiancée survives after toxic meal in London.
LONDON — A UK court has sentenced a woman to a minimum of 23 years in prison in a shocking “poisoned curry” murder case that has raised disturbing questions about jealousy, revenge, and premeditated crime.
According to prosecutors, the woman, from Southall, secretly entered the home of 39-year-old Mr. Cheema and laced food stored in the refrigerator with a highly toxic substance known as Indian aconite, often referred to as the “queen of poisons.”
The incident occurred on Jan. 27 when Cheema and his 21-year-old fiancée, Miss Choongh, were eating the meal while discussing their upcoming wedding. Within hours, Cheema died, while his fiancée was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and narrowly survived.
The court found the accused guilty of murder and of causing grievous bodily harm to the surviving victim. However, she was cleared of attempted murder in relation to the fiancée.
During sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Paul Worsley said the crime was not a result of sudden anger but a “planned and cold-blooded act,” driven by jealousy and a desire to protect a secret 16-year relationship.
The surviving victim told the court she continues to suffer trauma and can never forget the loss of her fiancé.
When the sentence was announced, the convicted woman appeared emotional in court. Judges noted that by the time she completes her sentence, she will be around 70 years old.
The case has reignited debate in the UK over whether lengthy prison sentences can truly deliver justice for victims and their families — or if they simply mark the end of one tragedy and the beginning of another.
