The 4th Additional District and Sessions Court in Kalaburagi, sitting at the Sedam Bench, has sentenced four individuals to life rigorous imprisonment following their conviction for the murder of Ramanna Gotur. The verdict, delivered by Judge Sirajuddin A. on October 6, 2026, concluded a legal process stemming from a fatal incident in Kuddalli village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sulepet police station.
The court found the four defendants guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120(B) for criminal conspiracy, 302 for murder, 450 for house trespass, and 201 for the destruction of evidence, alongside sections related to intimidation. Beyond the life sentences, the court mandated that the convicts pay a total fine amounting to ₹2.39 lakh. A significant portion of this sum, specifically ₹1 lakh each, has been allocated as compensation for the victim’s two children, Sahitya and Ajay.
According to the prosecution's case presented during the trial, the primary accused, Mallappa, had been involved in an extramarital relationship with the victim’s wife, Sunitha. Despite vocal objections from Ramanna Gotur and various village elders, the relationship persisted. Investigators alleged that Mallappa and Sunitha conspired to eliminate the victim, fearing he posed an obstacle to their alliance. To execute this plan, they reportedly secured the assistance of two other men: Sabanna, who acted out of past gratitude toward Mallappa, and Basappa, who was promised the forgiveness of a ₹2 lakh debt he owed to the victim.
The events leading to the crime unfolded on the night of August 5, 2022. Around 11:45 p.m., Sunitha allegedly unlocked the front door to allow the accomplices into the home. Prosecution records state that she threatened her children to ensure their silence and locked them in the kitchen. As the victim slept, the four individuals attacked him. Mallappa is accused of strangling the victim with a rope and stuffing his mouth with a lungi to muffle his cries, while Sunitha reportedly provided an iron tool used in the assault. Sabanna and Basappa assisted by striking the victim and restraining him until he died.
Following the killing, the group reportedly attempted to conceal the crime by wrapping the body in a gunny bag with wire and rope. They intended to dispose of the remains in a well located on a farm. However, the plan was thwarted when the victim’s son, Sahitya, managed to escape the house and alert his uncle, Nagappa, who was attending local festivities nearby. As relatives and others began to converge on the area, the perpetrators reportedly abandoned the body and the motorcycle used for transport on the Chincholi-Kalaburagi road and fled the scene.
A formal investigation was subsequently launched by the Sulepet police, led by Inspector Jagadish K.J. The trial saw the public prosecutor, K.R. Nagaraj, present evidence and testimony from key witnesses to establish the premeditated nature of the murder. The court expressed satisfaction with the prosecution's findings, leading to the sentencing of all four participants in the conspiracy. The conclusion of this case marks a significant step in the judicial proceedings regarding the 2022 incident, addressing both the gravity of the crime and the resulting impact on the victim's family.
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