Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 30: The Mangaluru principal district and sessions court on Monday April 30 acquitted the three accused in the sensational Karthik Raj murder case.
Karthik Raj's sister Kavyashree, Gautam and his brother Gaurav were acquitted in the case due to lack of evidence.
Karthik Raj, son of former Mangaluru taluk panchayat president Umesh Ganiga, was attacked at Asaigoli on October 22, 2016. He passed away a day later.
His murder took a communal and political turn when right-wing outfits began protesting demanding justice in the case. BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had even threatened to set the district on fire if the culprits were not arrested. He later apologised for the statement.
The police then arrested Karthik's sister Kavyashree, Gautam and Gaurav for allegedly plotting the murder. The police had said that Kavyashree, who was working in a hospital, came in contact with Gautam, a resident of Santosh Nagar in Kuthar. Police said that Kavyashree had approached Gautam with a request to kill her elder brother because of certain differences with him, and also offered to pay five lac rupees for committing this murder. Gautam who was in need of money, along with his brother Gaurav allegedly murdered Karthik, the police had said.
However, due to lack of evidence, the court acquitted all three accused.
The judgement was pronounced by judge K S Bilagi.