Virajpet:  The Second Additional  District and Sessions Court here has sentenced three persons to life imprisonment, while another convict was awarded a three year jail term, for the sensational murder of former Kodagu ZP Vice-President and Congress leader Iqbal Hasan  in Virajpet town in 2014.

U. Anish, 29, A. Moosa, 46 and M. Nazir of Chamiyala village near Virajpet are the ones who are sentenced to life, while another convict Usman was handed a three year jail term. The Court discharged Azmuddin, the fifth accused in the case, for want                  of evidence. Iqbal Hasan was shot dead in broad daylight when he was having lunch at a Virajpet hotel on Sept.17, 2014.

Details: Iqbal Hasan, a Congress leader and a  former Kodagu ZP Vice-President and his group was in dispute with another group led by one Moosa, over the management of the Masjid at Chamiyala village. The two groups used to clash frequently following which the Virajpet Police had summoned both the groups to the Police Station on Sept.16, 2014 and warned them against indulging in clashes. 

But just a day after, that is on Sept.17, 2014, Iqbal Hasan was having lunch at Hotel Sangam in the heart of Virajpet town at about 2 pm, when a group of miscreants who came in a Maruti Alto car, shot him dead by firing three rounds at him.

The fired bullets also hit one Chandrashekar, a resident of Shivakeri, who too was having lunch sitting close to Iqbal, injuring him on his legs. Chandrashekar was treated at the Madikeri District Hospital and discharged after some days. 

Soon after the murder, tension prevailed in the district, with the Police appealing the people to maintain peace. The then IGP Southern Range B.K. Singh  and the then Kodagu SP Vartika Katiyar and other top Police officials visited the town and appealed for peace. 

Virajpet Police, who registered a case, began investigation  and a Police team led by the then PSI Suresh Bopanna, succeeded in nabbing the suspects Anish, Moosa, Nazir and Azmuddin within two days of the murder and arrested another suspect Usman, a few days later.

After completion of the investigation, the then Virajpet Circle Inspector K.R. Prasad submitted charge-sheet to the Court. 

The Second Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Roopa, who heard the case, convicted Anish, Moosa, Nazir and Usman for the murder and discharged the fifth accused Azmuddin, for want of evidence.

While the first three accused Anish, Moosa and Nazir were awarded life sentence, the fourth accused Usman was awarded a three year jail term.

The Judge also ordered the convicts to totally pay a sum of Rs.1.65 lakh to the wife of the deceased Iqbal Hasan as penalty.

Public Prosecutor Narayana  argued on behalf of the prosecution.