Indian-origin stepmom faces life term

NEW YORK: An Indian-origin woman faces 25 years to life in prison in the US for strangling her 9-year-old stepdaughter to death as federal prosecutors charged her with the murder and her ex-husband for obstructing investigation.

Arjun Shamdai Pardas, 55, was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Gerald Lebovits on a criminal complaint charging her with one count of second-degree murder — an intentional killing that is not premeditated — of Ashdeep Kaur. Pardas was ordered held without bail.

Pardas' former husband Raymond Narayan, 65, has been arrested on charges of obstructing governmental administration and faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.

Queens district attorney Richard Brown said Pardas' actions are "beyond comprehension" and she will be brought to the book. "This is a horrifying case of a child, a defenceless nine-year-old, who was left in the care of her stepmother who allegedly strangled her to death. Her actions, if true, are beyond comprehension and must be severely punished," Brown said. Queens assistant district attorney Michael Curtis said Pardas repeatedly and on numerous occasions threatened to kill the victim, "most recently doing so this past Tuesday. On Friday, she made good on that threat."

Kaur had arrived in the US from India three months ago and was living with her father Sukhjinder Singh and Pardas in an apartment in Queens that was shared with another couple.

Kaur's relatives said the young girl had been previously abused by Pardas, who had been entrusted with her care.