Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 28: Through a judgement delivered on Wednesday March 27, the sixth additional district and sessions court sentenced serial killer Mohan Kumar (55), who is popularly known as Cyanide Mohan as he used to feed this poison to his victims, was sentenced for life relating to the murder of two young women.
The court found him guilty of promising a 34-year-old woman from Peramogaru in Kedila gram panchayat, Bantwal taluk, taking to her to a lodge at Madikeri, killing her with cyanide and taking away her ornaments. The other case pertains to murdering of a 32-year-old lady from Indira Awas colony at Peraje to a lodge at Mysuru, and giving her cyanide tablet by claiming it to be a contraceptive. Judge of the court, D T Puttarangaswamy, said that in both the case, Mohan's guilt has been conclusively proved.
Mohan is currently lodged in Hindalga jail at Belagavi. As such, the judge conducted hearing through video conferencing facility. On behalf of the prosecution, public prosecutor, Judith Olga Margaret Crasta, presented arguments.
In the first case, after winning over the confidence of a lady from Peramogaru village, Mohan promised to marry her and asked her to come to B C Road on the morning of January 23, 2009. He took her in a bus to Madikeri, hired room in a lodge, where he raped her. In the same afternoon, he led her to KSRTC bus stand where he handed over cyanide tablet to her, duly claiming it was birth control pill. The lady who entered the toilet and consumed the tablet collapsed and died there. A case of unnatural death relating to this case was registered in Madikeri town police station. Mohan had escaped with gold ornaments belonging to the lady. This case came to light when the police were investigating the murder of another woman from Barimaru.
Mohan had told the girl that his name was Anand. At the lodge too he had given this name for registration. A total of 39 witnesses, 37 documents, and 39 exhibits were examined during this trial.
In the other case, Mohan befriended a lady from Peraje, Madikeri, by introducing himself as Anand. He told her that he belongs to the caste to which she belongs, promised to marry her, and took her to Mysuru on March 10, 2009 by promising to marry her. He hired a room there, raped the lady, led her to the bus stand and gave her cyanide pill in the guise of contraceptive. After she died inside the toilet, he returned to the lodge, and escaped with ornaments belonging to the lady. A case of unnatural death was registered in Mysuru in this connection. A missing case had been lodged in Madikeri rural police station.
In this case, the court examined 44 witnesses, 70 documents and 37 exhibits. Criminal investigation department deputy superintendent of police, Purushotham, had conducted investigation and filed charge sheet in the court.
In both the cases, in addition sentencing Mohan all his life, the court also awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment for killing with poisonous substance and rape, five years rigorous imprisonment for stealing gold ornaments and destroying evidence, six years rigorous imprisonment for promising to marry and abduction, and six months imprisonment for marriage promise and cheating. A total fine of Rs 18,000 has also been imposed. The judge also mentioned that both the families of the ladies are eligible to get compensation through district legal services authority.
With this, Mohan Kumar has been sentenced in nine cases so far. Several more cases that are on similar lines are in different stages of hearing.