The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Acquittal reversed, 25 get life term for 10 murders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 01, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Acquittal reversed, 25 get life term for 10 murders

Staff Reporter

HIGH COURTROUND-UP

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Friday reversed the acquittal of 25 persons from Bardoli and sentenced them to life imprisonment for 10 murders.

The State had appealed against the verdict of the District and Sessions Judge, Bijapur, acquitting Ramappa and others. According to the State, Ramappa and others, all from Bardoli, chased Channabassappa of the same village and nine others into a house and set fire to it. The 10 persons who were attacked died. They included three women.

The Sessions Court acquitted the 25 accused villagers, saying the prosecution had failed to provide substantial evidence of the involvement of Ramappa and others. In its appeal, the State said there were at least 15 eyewitnesses to the incident.

It said Ramappa and others had conspired to eliminate the 10 persons, and there was adequate evidence to establish their complicity in the crime.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Chidananda Ullal and Justice V. Jagannathan reversed the verdict of the Sessions Court and sentenced the accused, who included 10 women, to life imprisonment.

Direction

Justice K. Sreedhar Rao on Friday asked the Director of Prosecutions to circulate among public prosecutors and assistant public prosecutors a format of charges. The Judge said the prosecution would be better prepared if it had a format of the charges. He wanted the defence and the prosecution to prepare draft of charges and place it in court before framing charges. The direction was given when the court was hearing an appeal by the State against the order of a lower court.

The State had sought enhancement of the sentence on Abdul Rasheem and two others, who were caught smuggling sandalwood near Balehonnur in Chikmagalur district.

A lower court sentenced them to imprisonment for six months.

Justice Rao found that the prosecution had not framed charges under Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code but under another section.

He dismissed the State appeal as the accused had served the sentence.

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