Four accused in Ullal communal murder case sentenced to life
Mangaluru: A District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru sentenced four persons to life on finding them guilty of murdering Rajesh Kotian, 44, on Kotepura Road in Ullal in the early hours of April 12, 2016.
The first Additional District and Sessions Judge H.S. Mallikarjuna Swamy on Saturday, April 20, sentenced to life Mahammad Asip, Suhail alias Mahammad Suhail, Muthalif alias Mutthu and Asweer alias Abdul Asweer, and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each for the offence punishable under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code (IPC)
They were also sentenced to one year each, and a fine of ₹5,000, for the offences punishable under Sections 153 A, 143, and 201 of IPC. The Judge also sentenced them to six months for the offence punishable under Section 143 of IPC. All sentences will run concurrently.
The Judge said after depositing the fine amount, Rs 1.2 lakh will be paid as compensation to Savitha, wife of deceased Rajesh Kotia, subject to result in the appeal.
As per the chargesheet filed by Ullal police, the six accused persons, including two minors, were waiting with clubs near a factory, off the Kotepura Road, to attack a Mogaveera. Around 2.30 a.m. on April 12, 2016, as Kotian was walking towards Kotepura Jetty, the accused assaulted the latter. Kotian fell on the road and died soon after. In order to make it difficult for people to identify, the accused bludgeoned the face of Kotain with a heavy stone and left the place.
Forensic expert Mahabalesh Shetty and his team performed the autopsy. A DNA test was done to identify Kotian. The blood-stained clothes of the deceased and other samples were sent for test in the Forensic Science Laboratory. Based on the reports, the chargesheet was filed. Prosecutor Judith O.M. Crasta examined 28 witnesses and 78 documents were marked. The Judge convicted the four accused persons on April 8.
The case against two minors is pending before the Juvenile Justice Board, Ms. Crasta said.
