Dandupalya gang's death penalty commuted to life

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday commuted death penalty to life imprisonment to four Dandupalya gang members.

A division bench comprising Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha passed an order commuting the death sentence issued to gang members Venkatesh, Munikrishna, Nalla Thimma and Lakshmi.

The gang members were accused of murdering Sudhamani, a resident of Moodalapalya in Vijayanagar and stealing valuables from her house in October 1999. While the case of theft was proved, the prosecution could not provide evidence that it was the same gang which had murdered Sudhamani. Due to lack of evidence in the murder case, the bench commuted the sentencing in the matter.

The notorious Dandupalya gang is involved in a series of thefts and murders.