Mangaluru: Twelve years after the murder of Gangadhara Pangal, the Dakshina Kannada II Additional District and Sessions Court, Mangaluru, has convicted all four accused, including the prime accused Satish Baikampady, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The Court found the prosecution had proved that the accused had conspired to murder Pangal, a resident of Meenakaliya, and attempted to portray the killing as a road accident.
The incident occurred on May 15, 2014, near the Ganesh Shipping godown at Meenakaliya under the Panambur police station limits. Gangadhara Pangal was riding his scooter when the accused allegedly chased him in a Bolero vehicle and deliberately rammed into the two-wheeler from behind. He sustained fatal injuries.
Initially, the incident was registered as a road accident. However, the investigation later revealed that it was a pre-planned murder, prompting police to register a case under relevant sections.
Police investigation revealed that the accused believed Gangadhara Pangal was instrumental in the suspension of the membership of the prime accused, Satish Baikampady, from the Baikampady Mogaveera Mahasabha. Holding Pangal responsible for the suspension, the accused allegedly developed a grudge against him and hatched a pre-planned conspiracy to eliminate him.
Judge Jagadeesh VN convicted all four accused — Satish Baikampady (57), his brothers Harish Baikampady (61) and Bhaskar Baikampady (63), all residents of Meenakaliya, and Pushparaj (47), a resident Udupi.
The court sentenced A1 Satish Baikampady, A3 Harish Baikampady and A4 Bhaskar Baikampady to life imprisonment under Sections 302, 120B and 109 read with Section 34 IPC, besides imposing a fine of Rs 15,000 each. A2 Pushparaj was sentenced to life imprisonment under Sections 302 and 120B read with Section 34 IPC, along with a fine of Rs 15,000. All four accused were also convicted under Section 201 read with Section 34 IPC and sentenced to two years of simple imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1,000 each.
Out of the total Rs 60,000 collected as fine, the court directed that Rs 50,000 be paid as compensation to the deceased’s daughter, while Rs 10,000 is to be remitted to the government.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the Bolero vehicle, Ritz car and Maruti car used in the commission of the offence, directing that they be forfeited to the government.
The investigation was initially conducted in stages by former Panambur Police Inspectors NR Mukri, Bhaskar Rai and Ravish Nayak. The investigation was later completed by Lokesh AC, who filed the charge sheet before the court.
The prosecution was represented by Jyothi Pramod Nayak.
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