Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Jul 25: The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka high court has acquited a man who was arrested for the rape and murder of a girl at Hiredhomi, Murdeshwar eleven years ago, and ordered reinvestigation into the case. By acquitting the accused, the court upheld the verdict passed by Karwar district court four years ago.
Venkatesh Harikanth, a fisherman, had undergone six years and eight months of imprisonment, and was acquitted four years ago. An appeal in this case was submitted to the high court. Traces of semen and strands of hair of the suspect were found on the hands of the deceased. The evidence was collected and sent to the forensic department, Hyderabad for examination. The DNA of Venkatesh was also examined. The report received eleven months later had stated that the sample of semen did not match that of Venkatesh.
The victim, who was employed as a maid at the house of one Mohammed Sadik was raped, assaulted with a piece of wood and brutally murdered on October 23, 2010. Her parents who grew worried when she did not return home searched for her and found her lifeless body near a shed used to store firewood. The incident that occurred in Bhatkal threatened to turn communal.
Nagappa Naik, the father of the victim, lodged a complaint against nine people belonging to another religion in the FIR. The name of the owner of the house and his son where his daughter was employed were mentioned in it. Nagappa had also mentioned the name of Venkatesh Harikanth in the complaint. Therefore, the police arrested Venkatesh. Rama Sene activists condemned the rape and murder and demanded arrest of the culprits and called for CID investigation.
Venkatesh's wife Mahadevi who knew that her husband was innocent took the matter to court with the help of her brother Balakrishna. With support from Sri Rama Sene founder president Pramod Mutalik and Kundapur-based advocate Ravikiran Murdeshwar, they gave their statements on the case. The advocate argued for Venkatesh in the court.
After the final hearings in the case, the high court bench upheld Venkatesh's acquittal and stated that the family of the victim will get justice only when the real suspects in the case are arrested, has appointed Murdeshwar PSI as the investigating officer and ordered for reinvestigations. The court has ordered first to question seven suspects mentioned in the FIR. The court has asked to collect samples of all of their semen, blood, nails and hair. The court has ordered to question Mohammed Sadik Donya, Kasif Mohammed, Mohammed Nasir, Yasin Shaikh, Neelagiri Siddi Mohammed, Habib Shaikh and Anda Nasir Shaikh.
Mahadevi and Balakrishna said that they have got a new lease of life because of advocate Ravikiran Murdeshwar. Sri Rama Sene district president Jayanth Naik and others visited the office of the advocate on Saturday July 24 to express their gratitude.
Venkatesh alleged that the police tortured him even though he was innocent. "I will not get back the six years and eight months I spent in prison. But the victim who was raped and killed should get justice. The then DySP who tortured and made me undergo imprisonment should be punished," he said.