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Hassan court sentences six people to six years in 2022 murder case
A local court in Hassan district of Karnataka has sentenced six men to six years in prison for the murder of a 42-year-old man in 2022.
A local court in Hassan district of Karnataka has sentenced six men to six years in prison for the murder of a 42-year-old man in 2022.
Delivering the verdict, the Channarayapatna 4th Additional District and Sessions Court judge justice VN Jagadish also took note of the accused trying to negotiate a settlement with the family of the victim.
“If individuals can so brazenly infringe upon the lives of others and then seek monetary settlements to escape accountability, what does that say about our legal system? It raises serious questions about the integrity of the police and the court. We cannot allow such blatant attempts to undermine justice,” said the judge, pronouncing the verdict on January 20.
The order was made public on January 26.
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 assaulting and killing 42-year-old UG Gangadhar, a tailor from Channarayapatna.
During investigation, the police found that the prime accused Bharat travelled to Subramanya in Dakshina Kannada district in September 2022 without informing his wife, and later shared photos from his trip on social media.
Gangadhar, who was acquainted with Bharat’s wife, informed her which enraged Bharat. Determined to “teach him a lesson”, Bharat conspired with his associates to attack the tailor, investigating officer in the case Vasanth Kumar said.
On October 13, 2022, the accused took Gangadhar in their car under the pretense of offering him a tailoring order and drove him to the outskirts of Janiwara village and brutally assaulted him.
Two villagers, Chetan and Kantharaju, however, reached the spot leading to the assailants fleeing, leaving Gangadhar severely injured. The two rushed Gangadhar to Channarayapatna on a bike, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way, according to police records.
“We arrested all six accused and booked them under IPC Section 302,” the investigating officer in the case, Vasanth Kumar, said. “The complaint initially named seven individuals, including the prime accused’s wife, but our investigation found no evidence against her, so she was not charged.”
The six were granted interim bail.
While out on bail, they sought to broker a financial settlement with Gangadhar’s family, officials familiar with the matter said requesting anonymity. The accused agreed to pay ₹37 lakh to the family to turn them hostile in the case.They had already paid ₹25 lakh, the official said.
“During trial we heard that teh accused paid money to the witnesses and deceaseds wife , but we have no evidence for it ‘’ a police officer at Channarayapatna police station told HT on condition of anonimity. When a witness turn hostile we came to know the accusation of giving money was fact. All the prosecution witness turn hostile, judge took it seriously,” he added.
Despite hostile witnesses — including Gangadhar’s wife Soumya FULL NAME who had filed the murder case — the prosecution relied on scientific evidence, including call records, cell tower locations, and forensic reports, to establish the presence of the accused at the crime scene.
The evidence not only confirms the guilt of the accused but also serves as a reminder that justice must prevail, justice Jagadesh said.
“The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated. The digital evidence collected in this case—ranging from the post-mortem report to dog squad tests, fingerprint analyses, phone records, and even the details of the vehicle used—has been instrumental in piecing together the events that led to this heinous crime. This evidence not only confirms the guilt of the accused but also serves as a reminder that justice must prevail. We must remain vigilant in upholding the law and ensuring that those who commit such acts face the consequences of their actions,” he said.
NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN AGAINST THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM FOR TAKING MONEY AND TURNING HOSTILE?
“The court delivered its judgment on January 20, though the accused were indicted on January 13,” said public prosecutor CD Srinivas. “Scientific evidence, particularly phone records and location data, proved their involvement beyond doubt. After their conviction, police immediately took them into custody.”
Defense counsel Devarajaiah FULL NAME, however, indicated plans to challenge the ruling. “There are certain aspects of the judgment that we intend to contest. We will be filing an appeal against the conviction order,” he said.
