Mysuru: City Advocate Pandu Pujari was approached by Gandhi, father of accused Suresh, who was in jail as an undertrial after being charged for murdering his wife Mallige.

The family, including his mother-in-law, convinced the advocate about Suresh’s innocence and requested him to take up the case. Advocate Pujari, who obliged, was able to bring Suresh out of jail on bail. Now, the challenge was to prove Suresh’s innocence in the Court.  

Speaking to Star of Mysore, the advocate said, “Suresh was very confident of finding Mallige and I stood by him and told him to find her at any cost. Fortunately, she was found with another man on Apr. 1 in Madikeri. As soon as Suresh informed me, I told him to inform Madikeri Town Police who took her into their custody.”

Madikeri Police then handed over Mallige to Kushalnagar Rural Police at 10 pm on the same  day, from where she was shifted to Bylakuppe Police Station.

Shock for the Advocate

Advocate Pujari, who suspected lapse of procedure on the part of Police, visited both Bettadapura and Bylakuppe Police Stations the next morning to make sure Mallige was in custody. But to his shock, he was informed that Kushalnagar Police had not handed over Mallige or any other woman to them.

“With no other option, I contacted Kodagu SP K. Ramarajan, who said the missing case filed in Kushalnagar Rural Police Station, which had been closed, would be re-opened and assured that Mallige would be produced before the Court,” said Pandu Pujari.

Despite the SP’s assurance, Pujari was not convinced as it was already afternoon and chances of Mallige being produced before the Court in Mysuru seemed bleak. Immediately, he called senior advocate B.G. Raghavendra in Mysuru and filed an advance application before the V Additional District and Sessions Court informing about Mallige.  On hearing the case, the Judge ordered Bettadapura Police to produce Mallige before the Court immediately.

Cops in the dock

Following the Court’s order, Bettadapura Police produced Mallige before the open Court at 6 pm. “On arriving in the Court, first thing the Judge asked her was to identify herself. Her reply was ‘Mallige’. Later, she also identified her mother, husband, her in-laws and her two children as well,” said Advocate Pujari. 

“Mallige also informed the Court that after leaving her husband Suresh’s house in Basavanahalli she had been living with Ganesh at T. Shettigeri in Virajpet Taluk. When asked to identify the clothes found on skeleton, she said it did not belong to her and she never wore that kind of clothes,” the Advocate added.

Advocate Pujari mentioned that he also presented the fact before the Court that his client Suresh had to be in jail for two years for no mistake. “Later, the Judge issued a notice to Mysuru SP N. Vishnuvardhana, the then Investigation Officer-cum-Circle Inspector B.G. Prakash, ASI Somashekar and staff Jitendra Kumar, M. Prakash and Mahesh Kumar to appear before Court.  They appeared before the Court yesterday and stood with their heads down as they had no answers to the Court’s questions with Mallige being present, very much alive before them,” said Advocate Pujari.

Next hearing on Apr. 17

“The Court has ordered Mysuru SP Vishnuvardhana to submit a detailed report on reasons as to why and how a false charge-sheet was filed against Suresh, before the Court within 15 days. The next date of hearing is posted for Apr. 17,” said Advocate Pujari who added that he was contemplating to file a fresh application before the Court seeking action against Police Officers for falsely implicating Suresh in a murder case.

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