The Additional District and Sessions Court in Sagar city has awarded five years imprisonment to six persons for chopping trees and transporting wooden logs illegally.
Hamza Kammaradi and his accomplices — Samir, Munna, Raghu, Farooq and Ganesh — were arrested by the police near Ripponpet in May 2012. They had even attempted to run over Sudhir Kumar Reddy, a probationary IPS officer who was trying to chase them. The police booked them under various sections of the Karnataka Forest Act as well as Section 307 (attempt to murder) of Indian Penal Code.
After hearing both sides, Judge Maheshwari Hiremath held the accused guilty of the charges. They were awarded five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1.05 lakh each for illegal chopping of trees.
On the attempt to kill charge, special public prosecutor Y.G. Yelageri argued that the six men should be awarded maximum punishment. The court held them guilty but reserved judgment on the quantum of punishment.
