Bengaluru triple-murder co-accused used AI tool to plan killings, cops say, seek chat history

The probe into the spine-chilling triple murder case in Bengaluru in June has seen a fresh revelation. It has been found that one of the accused, Kenneth, took the help of a unique confidant to execute the murders — those of the parents and the sister of his live-in partner and the other accused Shwetha — an AI chatbot, constituting perhaps the first of its kind case in the country. Both the accused are techies.

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The city police have contacted the AI tool’s parent firm to know details of the chat history after their investigation unearthed that artificial intelligence was being used to make the sinister plan over almost six months, official sources said on Tuesday (July 21).

Taking help of Google Gemini

India Today cited the police telling it that Kenneth relied on Google Gemini to prepare his dangerous plan. It was also revealed that he had planned initially to use an iron furnace to get rid of the bodies. But on consulting the chatbot and weighing in other logistical issues, he allegedly decided against it.

Police also said that Kenneth allegedly avoided asking the chatbot explicitly about how to commit a murder or how to dispose of a body. Instead, he chose to present hypothetical scenarios, framing his queries like if something had happened on those lines, what options did he have.

Bengaluru Police reportedly wrote to Google requesting access to the history of Kenneth’s engagement with the AI tool.

Killings took place on June 22 at Shwetha-Kenneth's house

The ghastly killings took place at a rented apartment in Seegahalli in eastern Bengaluru, where 52-year-old Somasundar, his 48-year-old wife Muthulaxmi and their teenage younger daughter Supriya were stabbed to death. Shwetha, 24, is the couple's elder daughter.

She fled the scene with Kenneth after the crime, and the duo was arrested separately from Puducherry, a few days later.

Initial probe revealed that the alleged motive that led to the murders seemed to be financial disputes and strained relations between Shwetha and her family members. During interrogation, she accused her family of controlling her life, police said.

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The dispute worsened after Swetha allegedly failed to pay off a bank loan and notices started knocking on her parents’ doors. Somasundar and Muthulaxmi were also not happy with her relations with Kenneth. It was when her parents and sister went to the live-in couple’s residence to confront them that the attacks took place.

The police said that after luring Muthulaxmi to their apartment on the fateful day, Kenneth stabbed her multiple times. Subsequently, when her husband and younger daughter arrived, they too were attacked fatally.

Somasundar managed to reach the staircase despite his grievous injuries. He was noticed by neighbours, who alerted the police. In his dying declaration, he told police that he had been stabbed by his daughter and her live-in partner and urged them to rescue his wife and younger daughter before he was taken to hospital, where he later died.

Kenneth confesses to using AI

Kenneth told the police during interrogation that it was a trivial matter that led him to eliminate Shwetha’s family members. He conceded that he banked on the AI chatbot to guide him through a six-month plan to carry out the mission, the police said. The police subsequently wrote to Google to corroborate his version.

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Meanwhile, psychological assessments conducted during the probe revealed that Kenneth suffered from severe social isolation. Police alleged that Shwetha financially supported Kenneth while he remained socially isolated from friends and family.

Police said Shwetha had earlier worked in the IT sector but lost her job after allegedly becoming increasingly influenced by Kenneth.

After the murders, the accused duo allegedly went to Shwetha's house, from where they stole cash and silver ornaments before fleeing to Puducherry, they said.

(With agency inputs)