Convicted (death sentence) escape from High Security Hindalga Jail Belagavi (Karnataka)

Apr 25, 2019

In a filmy style, a convicted for sentence to death and four other Jail inmates allegedly gave slip to the security personnel and escaped from the High Security Hindalaga Central Jail here on April 22. According to official sources on Thursday, Muragesh, hailing from Tamil Nadu was undergoing jail term after he was awarded death sentence by a Sessions Court, Chamarajanagara in 2015 on charges of brutal murder of five people, including a 8-year-old girl in Hrale village in Chamarajanagara district. 

Murugesh had been shifted from Chamarajanagara district prison to the Belagavi Central jail in 2017 and allegedly hatched a plot to flee from the Jail, as number of security personnel were reduced following deployment to the Election duties, on April-23. He managed to escape from the jail on April 22 by scaling the prison wall with four other inmates. Police said that man hunt was launched to nab Muragesh and other four who have escaped. UNI MV MSP SKB130

Source: http://www.uniindia.com/convicted-escape-from-high-security-hindalga-jail/south/news/1575742.html (accessed on 30 May 2019)

Serial Killer Mohan Kumar convicted in two more cases, awarded death sentence

27 Mar 2019, 06:44 pm

Bengaluru, Mar 27 (UNI) Serial Killer Mohan Kumar, who is facing 20 criminal cases, was today convicted to death sentence in two cases by Courts in Madikeri and Dakshina Kannada Districts.

CID which investigated from 2004 to 2009, into various cases against Mohan Kumar had filed 20 criminal cases and so far in 14 cases he was convicted by various courts in the State where he had committed the crime including rape and murder of vulnerable women.

Mohan Kumar was in the habit of luring college going girls and after taking them to hotel rooms he used to and administering them Cynide mixed drinks and commit murder after raping them. He was targeting teen aged college students and young married women.

Currently Mohan Kumar, is under judicial custody, and housed in Hindalga Jail in Belgavi.

Source: https://www.indiablooms.com/news-details/N/48121/serial-killer-mohan-kumar-convicted-in-two-more-cases-awarded-death-sentence.html (accessed on 29 May 2019)

Kolar court awards death sentence to five child rapists (Karnataka)

By Roja Mayabrahma | THE HANS INDIA | Sep 16,2018 , 02:26 PM IST 

A second additional session court awarded death sentence to five child rapists on Saturday in connection with two rape cases.

In the first case, the death penalty was issued to accused Suresh Kumar of Teekal village who murdered a 16-year-old school girl in Malur before attempting to rape her. The incident which took place on August 1, 2018, sent shock waves in the area. The court convicted Suresh, 13 days after filing a charge-sheet and issued a judgement in a record of 45 days after the incident. 

And in the second case, four people have been found guilty in the gang-rape case of a minor girl which occurred on May 28, 2014, in Kuppur village of Mashi near Malur. The convicted are Munikrishna, Narayanaswamy, Anilkumar and Krishnamurthy.

Source: https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Latest-News/2018-09-16/Kolar-court-awards-death-sentence-to-five-child-rapists/412158 (Accessed 25 December 2018)

Man sentenced to death after raping & murdering 6 year old girl (Karnataka)

Published time: 29 Apr, 2018 09:08

A man in India has been handed the death penalty after being convicted of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl. It comes days after the country's cabinet passed an order making the rape of girls under 12 punishable by death.

Anil Balagar, 35, was handed the sentence by a city court in Bangalore on Saturday, according to the Times of India. He was convicted of murdering the girl after raping her inside his home in Girinagar. The man was given 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping the girl, and the death penalty for killing her. He was also fined 10,000 rupees (US$150). The victim went missing while playing outside her grandfather's house, which is across the street from Balagar's home, on April 20. "Three days later, foul smell emanating from Balagar's house caught the attention of neighbors. On breaking it open, police found the girl's body,"public prosecutor Channa Venkataramanappa said. An investigation showed that the girl was raped before being smothered in a pillow.

Anil Balagar

The Saturday ruling must now be confirmed by the high court. As the prosecution waits for the confirmation, Balagar – a father of two daughters – has time to appeal the ruling. It comes just days after India's cabinet passed an executive order making the rape of a girl under the age of 12 punishable by death. However, Venkataramanappa stressed that the Saturday ruling has no connection with that order. The change in law will become permanent if it is approved by India's parliament, which is currently in recess. It will go into effect once it is signed by the president. However, it will lapse after six months if parliament doesn't ratify it. The executive order followed nationwide demonstrations over recent cases of child sexual abuse. In one case, an eight-year-old Muslim girl was kidnapped and gang-raped for days before being killed. Eight men, including four policemen, have been charged.

India has seen a large spike in the number of recorded rapes in the country, with 40,000 incidents reported in 2016 – a 60-percent increase form 2012. Around 40 percent of India's rape victims are children, according to Reuters.

Source: https://www.rt.com/news/425456-india-rape-death-penalty/ (Accessed 24 December 2018)

Serial Killer, ‘Cyanide’ Mohan Kumar Who Killed Scores of Women Gets Life Sentence in a Case of Rape and Murder. (Karnataka)

Abhishek Yadav Feb 26, 2018 10:47 AM IST 

Mangaluru, February 26: The Sixth Additional District and Sessions Court convicted a former teacher from Karnataka, Mohan Kumar, in a murder case of a 28-year-old woman of Maladi in Bantwal Taluk. This is the fifth case of conviction out of the 20 cases of murder registered against him.

Mohan Kumar aka Cyanide Mohan

Puttur additional superintendent of police Chandragupta had led his team and arrested the accused on September 21, 2010. The team had also filed a charge- sheet at the court. On Friday, 23 February 2018, the Sixth Additional District Sessions Court in Mangaluru convicted ‘Cyanide’ Mohan on the charges of murder, robbery and rape of a 28-year-old woman. He was given life imprisonment for the heinous act. Mohan Kumar, was termed as ‘Cyanide’ Kumar after cases of him sweet talking girls into a relationship with him and then killing them giving cyanide pills on the pretext of contraceptive came to the public light. Mohan would also do away with the jewellery of these victims. ‘Cyanide’ Mohan was also handed a death sentence by Mangaluru court in the year 2013.

In this case, according to the charge-sheet filed, Mohan got in touch with the victim in September 2009, at the bus stop in Madanthyar and introduced himself as Shashidhar Poojary. He got the woman’s mobile number and after courting her briefly, asked her to marry him. On September 24, he took the victim to a lodge and had sex with her. The next day, he told the victim that she should take a pill for avoiding getting pregnant and asked her to accompany him in a puja the next day. Manoj had already told the victim to get as much jewellery she had to wear it for the puja but told her to leave it in the lodge room as it was not required. He asked her to take the pill in the washroom and the victim died immediately after taking the pill. Mohan then ran away with all the jewellery and mobile phone. After reaching Mangaluru, Mohan sold the valuables at a jewellery shop located on KS Rao Road.

Mohan was convicted under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 (Murder), 366 (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her into marriage), 376 (Rape), 417 (Cheating), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 392 (robbery) and 201 (destruction of evidence). Judith O M Crasta, special public prosecutor, said that a total of 39 witnesses, 43 documents and 48 objects were examined and produced in the court. The Sixth Additional District and Sessions Judge D T Puttarangaswamy heard and upheld the arguments of Crasta’s arguments and convicted Mohan Kumar.

Source: https://www.latestly.com/india/information/karnataka-serial-killer-cyanide-mohan-kumar-who-killed-scores-of-women-gets-life-sentence-in-a-case-of-rape-and-murder-44557.html (Accessed 24 December 2018)

Rape-murder convict gets death sentence (Karnataka)

TNN | Jan 25, 2018, 07.54 AM IST 

MANDYA/BENGALURU: The third additional sessions court in Ramanagara, about 50 km from Bengaluru, on Wednesday sentenced a Bengalurean to death for raping and murdering a five-year-old girl in 2012. 

Salim, a 35-year-old tailor and son of Abdul Khayam, from Goripalya, is married and has two children. Justice Gopalakrishna Rai sentenced Salim to 10 years’ imprisonment with a fine of Rs 50,000 for raping the girl and declared he should be hanged till death for murdering her. On the evening of August 15, 2012, Salim, who was visiting his sister in Tavarakere, Ramanagara district, raped and killed the girl at his sister’s residence. The girl was alone at home when Salim saw her, police said, adding: “Salim gave her Rs 5 to buy beedis and lured her inside when she returned. 

Then, he locked her in a room where he raped her and then smothered her to death.” Convict throws a brick at prosecutor After the verdict was announced, Salim created a ruckus, hurling abuses at cops and the prosecutor. He snatched a constable’s mobile for trying to take his picture and destroyed it. Outside the court hall, Salim threw a brick at public prosecutor Raghu, who was talking to the media, and tried snatching a rifle from a constable.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/rape-murder-convict-gets-death-sentence/articleshowprint/62643673.cms (Accessed 24 December 2018)

SC Stays Execution Of Death Sentence Awarded To Man Convicted For Murder Of Five ‘Sleeping’ Persons, Including A Minor (Karnataka)

BY: ASHOK K.M JANUARY 24, 2018 11:58 AM

The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of death sentence awarded to one Murugeshan in a murder case. 

Murugeshan was found guilty by the trial court for murdering five persons, including an 8-year-old kid. The prosecution case is that the accused using a chopper, murdered five persons who were sleeping in a hut. The deceased include a minor child of eight years. “He has butchered five innocent people who were sleeping, including the child aged about eight years. He is a hardened criminal. He has no heart or any emotion. He is nothing but a maniac,” the Karnataka High court bench said while confirming the death sentence imposed on him by the trial court.

Murugeshan

The bench had further observed: “He was not a child or an old person to whom sympathy could be shown. It was a pre-planned, cold blooded brutal murder, of 5 persons. Based on his past history and the pending sessions case, there is absolutely no change of reformation and rehabilitation.” Affirming the death penalty, the bench had observed: “The accused has committed the murder of five innocent people. All five of them were asleep. He has butchered them without any emotion at all. The innocent deceased were just sleeping. There was not even an opposition by them. 

He has committed the murder of five people, one after the other. Even though murder by itself is uncommon, the murder of five people continuously shocks the conscience of this Court. The previous history and yet another pending sessions case would show that he is a hardened criminal. For such offences, a sentence of life is wholly inadequate. In the circumstances, even after according maximum weightage to the mitigating circumstances, there is no other alternate, but to impose a death sentence.” In a special leave petition preferred by Murugeshan, the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has now stayed execution of death sentence.

Source: https://www.livelaw.in/sc-stays-execution-death-sentence-awarded-man-convicted-murder-five-sleeping-persons-including-minor-read-order/ (Accessed 24 December 2018)

HC confirms death penalty for Cyanide Mohan (Karnataka)

TNN | Nov 16, 2017, 12.30 AM IST 

Vasantha.Kumar 

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court on Wednesday upheld the death penalty imposed on serial killer ‘Cyanide’ Mohan for the murder of Sunanda, a resident of Sullia, in February 2008. A division bench comprising Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha, while allowing the criminal reference case, noted there are aggravating circumstances to impose the maximum punishment (death penalty) on Mohan, who was reportedly involved in at least 20 such incidents where he killed women using cyanide. 

Mohan Kumar aka Cyanide Mohan

This is the third criminal reference case relating to Mohan decided by the court. Sunanda, 28, was the second daughter of Rathnavathi (complainant) of Vaipala Mane, Peruvaje village, Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. She rolled beedies and was secretary of the Dharmasthala Self Help Group. According to the complaint lodged by her mother, Sunanda was among many people taken to a political convention organised by the Congress party in Mangaluru on January 19, 2008 by the local leaders of Sullia. On her way back to Mangaluru, Mohan Kumar introduced himself as Shashidhara who was a supervisor in the central government and took her mobile number. Mohan would call her and expressed his willingness to marry her. He asked her to come to Malla temple in Kasargod to remove the hurdle to their marriage. Believing him, Sunanda left home on February 11, 2008 with Mohan. 

She took Rs 25,000, taken as a loan from a rural development bank, and gold ornaments. She was found dead the next day at the Mysuru bus stand. Mohan took her gold jewellery and gave it to a finance company. In separate cases pertaining to the murders of two women, the court had set aside the death penalty to Mohan. It sentenced him to life in one case (murder of Anitha) and imposed five years for robbery (murder of Leelavathi). On December 21, 2013, the district and sessions court at Mangaluru convicted Mohan and imposed the death penalty in all three murder cases which were then referred to the Karnataka high court for confirmation. 

Mohan had separately filed criminal appeals, challenging his conviction in all the cases. 25 criminal reference cases decided With the deciding of this criminal reference case, the division bench comprising Justice Rav Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha has decided 25 criminal reference cases, more than half of them relating to Dandupalya gang members and 37 connected criminal appeals associated with them. Under section 366 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a death sentence given by a sessions court has to be submitted through a criminal reference case before the high court for confirmation. HC reserves verdict. 

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/hc-confirms-death-penalty-for-cyanide-mohan/articleshowprint/61664618.cms (Accessed 23 December 2018)

HC commutes death sentence of serial killer in one case (Karnataka)

Published: October 12, 2017 10:47 PM IST

Bengaluru, Oct 12 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court today commuted the death penalty given to a serial killer by a trial court in a murder case of a woman to imprisonment till death.

A division bench of Justice Ravi Mallimath and Justice John Michael D’Cunha commuted the sentence of Mohan Kumar alias ‘Cyanide’ Mohan, who faced charges of killing a number of women between 2003 and 2009. He was sentenced to death in three cases. The court passed the order on the matter referred to it by the trial court for confirmation of the death penalty for killing a woman in a public toilet in Hassan in June, 2009.

The judges held that the prosecution failed to present evidence for the rape and abduction charges against Kumar. According to the prosecution, Kumar allegedly used to lure women to marry him and take them to hotels. Later, he would kill them by giving them birth control pills laced with cyanide. He was caught after the June incident.

The call details of the woman helped police in cracking the case. Police officials were shocked when Kumar, during interrogation, gave chilling details of the murders he had committed. Police had considered those cases as suicide or natural death. The fourth additional district and session’s judge of Mangaluru B K Naik had awarded Kumar the capital punishment in the 2009 murder case, calling it it the rarest of the rare. Kumar faced charges of killing 20 women but was convicted in four cases by the trial court. Out of the four, he was given the death sentence in three and life term in the other.

Mohan Kumar alias ‘Cyanide’ Mohan

The 2009 case had come up before the high court for confirmation of the death penalty. Kumar had filed an appeal against the death sentences and appeared before the high court as the party in person, one who argues his case on his own. He contended that in none of the cases, rape was established and urged the court to commute the punishment to life imprisonment.

Allowing his plea, the court held that the accused had not physically tortured the victim in the present case. Hence, it ordered imprisonment till his death. The court directed jail authorities not to release him as he will not be entitled for remission.

This is published unedited from the PTI feed.

Source: https://www.india.com/news/agencies/hc-commutes-death-sentence-of-serial-killer-in-one-case-2530374/ (Accessed 23 December 2018)

Serial killer Cyanide Mohan, who killed 20 women, sentenced to life in fourth case (Karnataka)

Chetan Misquith

TNN | Sep 15, 2017, 06.21 PM IST 

MANGALURU: The sixth additional district and sessions judge DT Puttarangaswamy on Friday awarded life Imprisonment to Mohan alias Cyanide Mohan in connection with the murder of a victim from Puttur. Mohan, a teacher by profession who allegedly poisoned 20 young women to death using cyanide between 2003 and 2009, was convicted in a three cases was awarded death sentence in 2013. This was the fourth case. “The court has ordered life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under IPC Section 302, seven years rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 376, seven years RI and a fine of Rs 4,000 under Section 328, six years RI and a fine of Rs 4,000 under Section 366, five years RI and a fine of Rs 4,000 under Section 392, five years RI and a fine of Rs 3,000 under Section 201, and a simple imprisonment for six months under Section 417,” public prosecutor Judith Crasta said. 

Mohan Kumar (born 1963)

Mohan is subject to serve a two months simple imprisonment - if he fails to pay the penalty in all the cases in which he has been awarded RI. “My precedent passed death sentence, but the matter is pending before the High Court for confirmation of the death sentence. Passing of sentence in each case is taken independently and not applied in other cases, though the accused is the same person,” judge Puttarangaswamy stated in his ruling. The Court had on Wednesday convicted Mohan being guilty of rape, robbery and murder of a 22-year-old girl hailing from Puttur. According to the chargesheet filed on February 2, 2010, Mohan had befriended an unmarried girl from Puttur, who rolled beedis for a livelihood. Mohan introduced himself as Anand and said he belonged to the same caste. He also promised to marry her and they exchanged phone numbers. After a few days, Mohan called her to say he had arranged a job interview in Madikeri and that she should go with him. 

Mohan told her to wear as much jewellery as possible to impress the interviewer. The duo left for Madikeri in a bus and checked into a lodge. In the register, Mohan signed in as Anand and they were given Room No 3. That night, Mohan sexually assaulted her. The next morning, Mohan asked her to get ready for the interview and told her to leave all the valuables in the room as it was not necessary. After they reached the bus stand, Mohan told her that since they had sex the previous night, she could become pregnant and needed to take precautions. He convinced her that he had a medicine for it and she needed to take it in the washroom. He gave her cyanide. The victim, who believed it was a contraceptive pill, went into the washroom, consumed it and died instantly. Meanwhile, Mohan went back to the hotel room, collected all the valuables and her cell phone, and escaped, the chargesheet said.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/serial-killer-cyanide-mohan-who-killed-20-women-sentenced-to-life-in-fourth-case/articleshow/60531133.cms (Accessed 23 December 2018)

HC stays death sentence of serial killer Umesh Reddy (Karnataka)

Bengaluru | Thursday, Oct 20 2016 IST

Karnataka High Court today stayed execution of the death sentence awarded to serial killer and rapist Umesh Reddy. 

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Budihal, directed the Union and the State Governments to file their objections, if any on the petition filed by Mr Umesh Reddy,within 10 days. Umesh Reddy's Advocate Prof Ravikumar in his application had sought a stay on the death sentence stating that the delay to act on his mercy petition by the President for more than two years hadcreated mental agony to his client who was expecting decision in his favour.

A former Jawan of the CRPF and later the State Armed ReservePolice, Umesh had been accused of killing 18 women and raping 20 women across Karnataka, Maharasthra and Gujarat. He was, however,convicted in only nine cases, one of them being the rape and murder of Jayashree Subbaiah, a housewife in Peenya in 1998. He was,however, acquitted in 11 cases due to lack of evidence. On October 26, 2006, Judge K Sukanya of the Bangalore city Fast Track Court ordered multiple sentences, including a death sentence,a seven-year sentence, Rs 25,000 fine and a 10-year sentence plus Rs 25,000 fine.

Umesh Reddy

In November 1996, Umesh had attempted to rape a high school girl in Chitradurga. The girl managed to escape by hitting him with astone. A month later he raped and murdered 16-year-old Roopa in Chitradurga. In January, 1997, the girl he attempted to rape identified him at a Republic Day police parade and he was then arrested and dismissed from service. A court ordered that he be shifted to Ballari jail fromChitradurga. Umesh managed to escape from police custody while hewas being handed over to Ballari jail. After his escape, he killed an income tax officer's wife in Bengaluru, a girl in Ahmedabad, two girls in Vadodara, and a widow in Kunigal, Tumakuru district. Umesh managed to escape from police custody six times. After the trial, he was awarded the death sentence by a fast track court in Bengaluru in 2006. His appeals were dismissed by the High Court as well as Supreme Court.

Source: https://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20161020/2973634.html (Accessed 20 December 2018)