Mysuru court orders case against police official for ‘fabrication of evidence’

The 5th Additional District and Sessions Judge in Mysuru on Wednesday ordered the court officials to the book Inspector of Police for ‘fabrication of evidence’ while acquitting the accused in a case of murder registered against him in Bettadapura police station in Mysuru.

The case pertains to a tribal Suresh, who had lodged a complaint that his wife Mallige had been missing from their house in Basavanahalli in Kushalnagar Rural police station in 2020, but was booked for her murder by the adjoining Bettadapura police station when a skeleton on a woman’s body was found.

The police arrested Suresh, who had spent about one and a half years in jail, before he was released on bail. Not only did a DNA report prove that the skeleton did not belong to his wife Mallige, the latter was found alive, having snacks in a restaurant in Madikeri earlier this month with a male friend with whom she was living.

While “honourably acquitting” Suresh of the murder charges and cancelling the bail and surety bonds, the court directed the Bettadapura police station to remove his name from the police records.

Compensation

The court directed the Home Department to pay a compensation amounting to ₹1 lakh to Suresh.

Sharing the details of the ruling, Pandu Pujari, who is the counsel for Suresh, told The Hindu that the judge directed the Chief Administrative Officer of the Mysuru District and Sessions Court to suo motu file a complaint against the then Inspector of Bettadapura police station Prakash B.G. under different Sections of BNS 2023 that correspond to old IPC Sections 193 and 195 for ‘fabrication and falsification of evidence’.

Department probe

The judge also directed the Inspector General of Police, Southern Range, to conduct a departmental inquiry against the then police officials at Bettadapura police station including IPS officer Jitendra Kumar, who was the additional Superintendent of Police, Police Sub-Inspectors Prakash Yattimani and Mahesh B.G., besides Police Inspector Prakash B.G., who was the Investigating Officer (IO).

Mr. Pujari said the court has directed the Inspector General of Police, Southern Range, to conduct a departmental inquiry against the four police officials, who were serving in Bettadapura police station in 2020, and submit a report to the court.

probe unidentified body

The court also directed the police to initiate an investigation into the UDR (unnatural death) death case registered in relation to the unidentified body found in Bettadapura police station limits in 2020.

The police has been asked to initiate a probe in the matter and submit a report to the court.

Mr. Pujari said he is planning to move the High Court for higher compensation to his client, who has not only suffered about one and a half years in jail, but also loss of reputation in the society, besides the trips the mental agony to his parents, loss of education of his children and the multiple trips he had to make to the court for no fault of his.