The judge, K H Mallappa, said the prosecution had failed to prove charges filed against the accused and hence, all the 19 have been acquitted.
Hanur Police Station had filed charge sheet against Veerappan, Sethukuli Govindan, Chandragoudar, Balamurugan, Bhagyaraj, Selvam, Shankar, Sethumani, Alexander, Amulyaraj, Sagai Raj, Mudalai Muttu, Krishna aka Brahma, Narayan aka Kariyappa, Nanja aka Dam Nanja, Basavegowda, Joseph, Savariyappan aka Kone Savariyappa, Muttukumar, Arjun, Jnanamurthy, Kolanji and Ilavarasan. Of the total 23 accused, four persons have died. The others were produced before the court.
Public Prosecutor Basavaraj Hudedgaddi said the accused are acquitted on the basis of benefit of doubt. An appeal will be filed in Karnataka High Court after going through the judgment copy.
Meanwhile, Parimala Nagappa, wife of former minister, Nagappa said she was shocked with the judgment.
Nagappa was kidnapped by Veerappan and his associates from the former’s house on August 25, 2002 and his body was found in Chengadi forests on December 8, 2002.
