Mangaluru: The 6th Additional District and Sessions Court, on Wednesday, March 28 acquitted 17 persons of the 23 accused in the sensational murder of Hindu activist Sukhananda Shetty. While four of the accused in the case were killed in different instances, two persons continue to remain absconding.
Noting that prosecution had failed to produce evidence to prove the charges against the accused in the murder, the court acquitted Nawaz, Naushad, Shakir, Mohammed Aziz, Mohammed Rafiq, Abdul Khader Ali, PK Ayub, Mohammed Ashraf, Fathima Zohara, Saleem, Khalandar, Aziz alias European Aziz, Nizamuddin, Mohammed alias Sada Mohammed, Afrooz Nasir.
The other accused in the case, who are now dead, included Mulki Rafeeeq, Bullet Sudhir alias Athik, Madoor Yousif and Akbar Kabir.
While Mulki Rafeeeq and Bullet Sudhir were killed in a police encounter near Udupi Railway station and at Kundapur respectively, Madoor Yousif was murdered in Mangaluru District Jail and Akbar Kabir, one of the prime accused in the case was murdered in Gurupura.
Nearly 72 witness were examined in the case.
It may be recalled that on December 1, 2006 Sukhananda Shetty, a prominent leader of BJP was attacked with lethal weapons by a group of miscreants, who arrived in a car in the premises of marble trading company at Honnakatte. Though he was rushed to a private hospital immediately, Sukhananda Shetty succumbed to his injuries in the
hospital.
