Mangaluru court sentences acquitted robbery accused to 7 years’ RI on appeal

Mangaluru: In a significant development, a sessions court in Mangaluru has sentenced an accused, who was earlier acquitted in a robbery case, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment after allowing an appeal filed by the prosecution. The convict is Shivakumar of Shivamogga.

According to Public Prosecutor Badrinath Nairy, the incident took place on June 26, 2017, within the jurisdiction of Mangaluru South Police Station near a football court pavilion.

The victim, Lokesh, was walking while speaking on his mobile phone when the accused allegedly attacked him. Shivakumar is said to have snatched a mobile phone worth Rs 10,000, while co-accused Muttum reportedly took away a 10-gram gold chain with a Ganapathi pendant worth Rs 40,000.

Following the incident, a case was registered and a charge sheet was filed against the accused. The trial was initially conducted in the Second Additional Senior Civil Judge and Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, where both accused were acquitted.

Subsequently, the prosecution challenged the acquittal by filing an appeal before the Additional District and Sessions Court (FTSC-1). After hearing the appeal, Judge Mohana J S convicted Shivakumar under Section 392 of the IPC and sentenced him to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000.

The second accused in the case has since passed away.