Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday sentenced three members of the Dandupalya gang to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by convicting them only on charges of robbery, and acquitting another from all charges.
It may be recalled that a trial court had sentenced the four members to death in a murder case that took place on March 22, 2000 at Kamakshipalya in Bengaluru.
A Division Bench comprising of Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha passed the order while partly allowing the appeals filed by Venkatesha alias Chandra, Munikrishna alias Krishna, and Nalla Thimma alias Thimma. The Bench acquitted Lakshmamma alias Laksmi.
It was the case of prosecution that the four, on the pretext of asking for drinking water had entered the house of one Sudhamani in Kamakshipalya police limits on March 22, 2000, and later escaped with gold ornaments after murdering her.
Observing that except the proof of recovery of some gold jewellery of victim at the instance of three of the convicts, the Bench said “no other evidence is produced by the prosecution to show that robbery and the murder occurred at the same time. Therefore, the conviction of the accused under Section 396 cannot be sustained.”
