Missing woman found alive: Karnataka court acquits husband of murder charges

Mysuru: The fifth additional district and sessions court on Wednesday acquitted Kuruba Suresh who was accused of murdering his wife Mallige in 2020, after the latter was found alive on April 1 this year.

The court directed the Station House Officer of Bettadapura Police Station to remove the name of Suresh of Basavanahalli tribal settlement colony of Kushalnagar taluk, from police records regarding this case.

The court also directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh to Suresh, who spent over two years in the jail as an undertrial.

Mallige went missing on October 19, 2020 and a missing complaint was registered at Kushalnagar Police Station. The Bettadapura Police in Periyapatna taluk found a skeleton on November 12, 2020, which was “identified” as that of Mallige. Following a complaint by Mallige’s son, the Bettadapura police filed an FIR against Suresh on July 18, 2021, accusing him of murder.

The trial court rejected Suresh’s bail plea in December 2022.

However, following an order from the High Court, he was released from jail in September 2023. The case took a turn when Mallige was found alive on April 1 and she was produced in the court subsequently.

The Mysuru court directed the Inspector General of Police to initiate departmental inquiry against the Investigation Officers (IOs) - Jitendra Kumar, Prakash M Yattinamani, B K Mahesh, B G Prakash - for the lapses in investigation and to submit a report to the court.   

The judge authorised the chief administrative officer, District and Sessions Court, Mysuru, to file a complaint against B G Prakash (who submitted the chargesheet) for the offence punishable under section 231 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment), 229 (punishment for false evidence) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.