A court in Kodagu has directed the Superintendent of Police (SP) to submit a comprehensive report on police lapses in a 2020 murder case where a woman, presumed dead and whose husband was jailed for her alleged murder, has now been found alive. The report is to be submitted before April 17.
The case revolves around Suresh, 38, who was arrested and imprisoned for allegedly murdering his wife, Mallige, after she went missing from Kushalnagar in December 2020. The police had claimed to have found her skeleton in Bettadarapura, leading to Suresh's arrest based on the assumption that the remains were Mallige’s. A charge sheet was filed, and Suresh spent over a year and a half in jail.
However, on April 1, Mallige was discovered alive in Madikeri, having been seen with another man by a friend of Suresh. The matter was brought to the attention of the Fifth Additional District and Sessions Court, where Mallige was produced. She confessed to eloping with another man, unaware of the legal troubles her husband faced.
The court criticised the police for their investigative shortcomings, especially as the DNA test later revealed a mismatch, contradicting the earlier claim that the skeleton belonged to Mallige. Despite this, the police had filed the final charge sheet before receiving the DNA results.
The court has summoned the SP and investigating officers, who failed to provide satisfactory answers. The case now raises serious questions about the integrity of the investigation, including the accuracy of the skeleton identification and the reasons behind the false charge sheet.
Suresh’s lawyer, Pandu Poojari, stated that after the court’s final verdict, they plan to file a writ petition in the High Court seeking justice and compensation for Suresh, who belongs to the ST community. The team also intends to approach the Human Rights Commission and the ST Commission to address the trauma endured by Suresh.
The case has highlighted critical flaws in the police investigation, prompting calls for a thorough probe into potential misconduct and conspiracy.
(PTI inputs)
