The Udupi police have filed the chargesheet against 39-year-old Praveen Arun Chougule, accused in the murder of a 40-year-old woman and her three children at Nejaru in Udupi on November 12, 2023.
The 2,202-page chargesheet in 15 volumes was filed by investigation officer of the Malpe police station on February 10, before the court of Principal Civil Judge and JMFC, Udupi. The chargesheet contains the statements of 244 witnesses.
Chougule has been charged under Sections 449 (house trespass in order to commit offence punishable with death), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.
In a statement, Udupi Superintendent of Police K. Arun said the chargesheet has been filed within 90 days of the arrest of Chougule. The police have secured most of the reports of the forensic science laboratory and they are part of the chargesheet. Mr. Arun said steps will be taken for early commencement of the trial.
The chargesheet came before the Principal Civil Judge and JMFC Court on Monday. Following order of the court, the case was registered as CC (criminal case) 188/2024. The first hearing of the case will be on February 15.
Chougule, a cabin crew of Air India Express, is accused of hacking to death his colleague Aynaz, 21, her mother Haseena, 40, and her siblings Afnan, 23 and Asim, 12. Aynaz’s grandmother Hazeera was critically injured in the incident and she survived.
A team of Udupi police went to Kudachi in Belagavi district and arrested Chougule on November 15, 2023.
The regular bail application of Chougule was dismissed by second Additional District and Sessions Judge, Udupi, on December 30, 2023.
The State government this January 9 appointed Senior Law Officer Shivaprasad Alva as the Special Public Prosecutor for the case.
