The High Court on Wednesday upheld the conviction and life sentence awarded to a man, who killed a day-old baby born to his minor step-daughter, who had allegedly been raped by him.
The Division Bench comprising Justice K Shreedhar Rao and Justice Ravi B Naik confirmed the Sessions Court order convicting Dharmanna alias Dharmapala of Kokada village, Beltangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada district for murdering the new born baby of his step-daughter.
Dharmanna was charged with rape and murder but the trial court acquitted him under the charge of rape while convicting him for murder.
The Bench upheld the conviction for murder and observed that trial court’s action in acquitting him under rape charge was improper in the light of evidence on record.
