HASSAN: A local court in Channarayapatna has sentenced six men to six years in prison for the brutal murder of a 42-year-old tailor in 2022. The verdict, delivered by 4th Additional District and Sessions Court judge V.N. Jagadish on January 20, condemned both the crime and the accused’s attempts to buy their way out of justice.

The convicts—Bharat Gopal (34), Abhishek Yogesh alias Kabab Abhi (29), Chiranjeevi Rame Gowda (27), Abhishek Nagaraju alias Rebel Abhi (32), Somashekar Chandre Gowda (33), and Kumar Dodde Gowda alias Thief Kumar (30)—were found guilty of kidnapping and killing UG Gangadhar.

The crime was triggered after Bharat discovered that Gangadhar had informed his wife about his secret trip to Subramanya. Enraged, he and his associates lured Gangadhar under the pretense of a tailoring order, drove him to Janiwara village, and assaulted him. Two villagers interrupted the attack, but Gangadhar succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to Channarayapatna.

Despite securing interim bail, the accused attempted to bribe witnesses, including Gangadhar’s wife, offering ₹37 lakh to weaken the case. However, scientific evidence—call records, forensic reports, and digital tracking—secured their conviction.

Defense lawyers plan to appeal, but the court’s ruling sends a strong message against attempts to evade justice.