The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday set aside the second death penalty imposed by a trial court on Mohan Kumar — who argued his case personally — and acquitted him of the charges of murdering a woman by making her consume a liquid mixed with cyanide after sexually abusing her.
The court, however, convicted him of the robbery charge as he had escaped with jewellery of the woman, and sentenced him to five years rigorous imprisonment. The court did not find evidence for any other charges levelled against him.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha passed the order while partly allowing Kumar’s appeal and rejecting the reference made by the trial court in Mangaluru for confirming the death penalty.
The trial court had convicted him of various charges, including kidnap, rape, and murder of a 32-year-old-woman, who was a native Bantwal taluk in Dakshina Kannada district.
Kumar, who hails from Dakshina Kannada, has been portrayed as a serial killer by the investigating agency as he has been charge-sheeted in 20 cases of murdering women by using cyanide.
He has been convicted in four cases — he has been sentenced to death by the trial court in three cases, and to life imprisonment in one case.
The High Court has now turned down death penalty in two cases. In another case, the High Court on October 12 reduced the sentence to imprisonment for life without any provision for remission. In two cases, Kumar presented arguments personally by discontinuing service of an advocate.
