Karnataka - Bangalore

Umesh Reddy’s appeal adjourned

Bangalore: A single judge of the Karnataka High Court, who was to offer his opinion on the quantum of punishment on Umesh Reddy who is on death row, adjourned hearing in the case to January 18.

A fast track court in Bangalore had, in October last, found Reddy guilty of rape and murder of Jayashree of Peenya on February 28, 1998 and sentenced him to death.

On an appeal by Reddy against the verdict and by the Government for confirmation of the sentence, a Division Bench of the High Court confirmed the conviction but came out with a split verdict as far as the sentence was concerned.

While one judge favoured capital punishment, the other said Reddy should be in prison till death.

Following this, the Chief Justice referred the matter to a third judge for his opinion. When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, the single judge, S.R. Bannurmath, said since the Division Bench had agreed on the conviction, he was only required to look into the question of sentence. He said as a single judge he could not act as an appellate authority on the confirmation of a conviction. He said he could have reheard the case and also gone into the question of conviction if both the judges had deferred on it.

However, Reddy’s advocate, R.B. Deshpande, submitted that the third judge had the power to not only rehear the case but also acquit an accused if he is found not guilty. The court said Reddy would be permitted to argue the case on merits limited to certain points.

Mr. Bannurmath adjourned hearing on the case to January 18.

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