<p>The Supreme Court has granted bail to a real estate developer in a case related to the killing of Kannada actor Vinod Kumar in which he has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Karnataka High Court.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat and M M Sundresh noted appellant Govardhan Murthy, promoter of real estate company L G Builders and Developers has been in jail for more than six years and the appeal filed by him can't be taken for consideration immediately.</p>.<p>"It is a case of reversal of the Trial Court judgment acquitting while conviction by the High Court. The appeal is pending and it is not possible to immediately take up the appeal for hearing. The appellant has been in custody for more than six years," the bench said.</p>.<p>The court passed its order after hearing senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani and advocates Ajay Awasthi and Anantha Narayana M G on behalf of Murthy. He challenged the verdict of the HC passed on March 20, 2020, overturning his acquittal in the case. He sought bail in the case, pending consideration of his appeal.</p>.<p>According to the prosecution, Murthy wanted to marry the daughter of a man who cancelled the engagement with him and instead negotiated an alliance with the deceased actor. This has irked the accused. Further, Vinod, the actor was also in real estate business and had become a competitor to him.</p>.<p>On October 6, 2008, the accused, along with five others invited Vinod to his club house, at L G Rose Heritage Layout in Bengaluru where the victim was made to consume an excess of liquor and was then shot at, leading to his death a day later.</p>.<p>The trial court, however, on December 26, 2012, acquitted all the accused.</p>.<p>On an appeal by the state government, the HC had found the trial court's verdict as "nothing but a miscarriage of justice", since it failed to consider the crucial evidence like dying declaration, call details records, recovery of pistol and place of murder, besides other oral testimonies, all indicated only towards the culpability of the accused.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court has granted bail to a real estate developer in a case related to the killing of Kannada actor Vinod Kumar in which he has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Karnataka High Court.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat and M M Sundresh noted appellant Govardhan Murthy, promoter of real estate company L G Builders and Developers has been in jail for more than six years and the appeal filed by him can't be taken for consideration immediately.</p>.<p>"It is a case of reversal of the Trial Court judgment acquitting while conviction by the High Court. The appeal is pending and it is not possible to immediately take up the appeal for hearing. The appellant has been in custody for more than six years," the bench said.</p>.<p>The court passed its order after hearing senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani and advocates Ajay Awasthi and Anantha Narayana M G on behalf of Murthy. He challenged the verdict of the HC passed on March 20, 2020, overturning his acquittal in the case. He sought bail in the case, pending consideration of his appeal.</p>.<p>According to the prosecution, Murthy wanted to marry the daughter of a man who cancelled the engagement with him and instead negotiated an alliance with the deceased actor. This has irked the accused. Further, Vinod, the actor was also in real estate business and had become a competitor to him.</p>.<p>On October 6, 2008, the accused, along with five others invited Vinod to his club house, at L G Rose Heritage Layout in Bengaluru where the victim was made to consume an excess of liquor and was then shot at, leading to his death a day later.</p>.<p>The trial court, however, on December 26, 2012, acquitted all the accused.</p>.<p>On an appeal by the state government, the HC had found the trial court's verdict as "nothing but a miscarriage of justice", since it failed to consider the crucial evidence like dying declaration, call details records, recovery of pistol and place of murder, besides other oral testimonies, all indicated only towards the culpability of the accused.</p>
