Mangaluru: The Second Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru has convicted five people and acquitted five others in the 2015 murder of Madoor Yusuf inside the Mangaluru sub-jail. The court pronounced its verdict on September 28, nearly 11 years after Yusuf was killed inside the prison.

The court convicted Lithesh Poojary, Shobharaj, Yuvaraj, Pradeep and Umesh Kombar after finding the charges against them proved. The quantum of sentence for the five convicted persons is yet to be pronounced.

Five other accused Sharan Poojary, Mahesh Kumar, Kamalaksha Poojary, Latheesh and Sathish Poojary were acquitted of the charges. Sathish Poojary had died by the time of the verdict, according to the report.

Madoor Yusuf was killed inside sub-jail in 2015

The incident dates back to November 2, 2015, when Madoor Yusuf was murdered inside the Mangaluru sub-jail, which was under the jurisdiction of the Barke Police Station.

The case was registered by Barke Police under Sections 143, 144, 147, 148, 353, 427 and 302 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code.

The charges included provisions relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, assault or resistance to public servants, mischief and murder.

The murder inside the jail became a significant criminal case in Mangaluru, leading to a detailed investigation and subsequent trial involving 10 accused.

Chargesheet filed against 10 accused

The investigation was led by then Assistant Commissioner of Police Tilak Chandra. After completing the investigation, he filed a chargesheet against all 10 accused before the Second Additional District and Sessions Court on January 28, 2016.

The case subsequently went through the trial process before the sessions court.

After considering the evidence and arguments presented during the proceedings, the court delivered its verdict on September 28, 2026.

The court found five of the accused guilty of the charges. They are Lithesh Poojary, Shobharaj, Yuvaraj, Pradeep and Umesh Kombar. The court has not yet announced the sentence to be imposed on the convicted persons.

Five accused acquitted

The court also acquitted five other accused in the case.

They were identified as Sharan Poojary, Mahesh Kumar, Kamalaksha Poojary, Latheesh and Sathish Poojary.

Sathish Poojary, who was among those facing charges, is now deceased. The court’s verdict resulted in five convictions and five acquittals among the 10 people named in the chargesheet.

The acquittals mean the court did not find the charges against those five accused proved to the required legal standard.

Sentence for convicts yet to be announced

While the court has pronounced the verdict and convicted five people, the quantum of sentence is yet to be pronounced.

The next stage of the proceedings will determine the punishment applicable to those convicted. The distinction between conviction and sentencing is significant, as the September 28 order established guilt while the specific punishment is still pending.

Public Prosecutor Mohan represented the government in the case, according to the report.

Verdict comes nearly 11 years after murder

The court verdict comes nearly 11 years after Madoor Yusuf was killed inside the Mangaluru sub-jail.

The case involved 10 accused and was investigated before the chargesheet was filed in January 2016. The eventual verdict has now established convictions against five of them, while five others have been acquitted.

The case highlights the lengthy judicial process involved in a serious criminal prosecution, from the initial investigation and chargesheet to trial and final determination by the sessions court.

The sentencing of the five convicted persons remains pending and will provide the next significant development in the case.