Date:29/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/29/stories/2008032954210500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Father, son convicted for murder

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Friday reversed the judgment of a lower court and sentenced a 72-year-old man and his son to imprisonment for murdering a woman.

According to the State, Vedamurthy, an agricultural worker and coolie, and his father M.P. Chandrachari, both residents of Machenahalli in Chikamagalur district, had murdered Lakshmidevi and buried her body. Lakshmidevi was married to Vedamurthy and the State said the father and son had joined hands in murdering her.

The Additional Sessions Judge, Hassan, had on January 10, 2001, acquitted Vedamurthy and Chandrachari, citing lack of clinching evidence. A Division Bench, led by Justice V.G. Sabhahit, reversed the lower court order and partly allowed the State appeal.

It sentenced to life imprisonment Vedamurthy and also fined him Rs. 10,000. Chandrachari was given a lesser sentence after the court considered his age. It gave him three years simple imprisonment and set it off against the number of days he had spent in jail as an undertrial.