Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 25: The hearing into the case filed against Mohan Kumar relating to the killing of Anita from Barimar continued in the first fast track court in the city on Thursday November 24. During the trial, six witnesses were examined.

Initially, Henry D’Souza, receptionist of Vinayaka Lodge in Madikeri, where Mohan reportedly had stayed for a night with a woman, was examined by special public prosecutor, Cheyyabba Beary. D’Souza said that Mohan had come to his lodge at 8 pm on April 13, 2009, along with a woman, duly mentioning their names as Sudhakar Acharya and Shanta in the register. “They brought dinner from outside. Next day morning, they went out together, but the man came back alone in about an hour and informed that he was vacating the room,” Henry said. Mohan questioned Henry as to whether he had noticed that Shanta wore a Karimani chain around her neck. Henry said the woman indeed wore a Karimani, but he did not question her as Mohan had already introduced her as Shanta.  When Mohan said he had never gone to the lodge with Shanta, the judge asked him as to whether some other woman had accompanied him. Mohan, smilingly, answered in the affirmative.

Chennaiah, home guard working in KSRTC bus stand Hassan, who was witness to the mahajar of the woman’s body and belongings found at the bus stand, confirmed that Mohan was the person brought by the police there. Cyril D’Souza, working in Sri Sai Trading near central Market Mangalore, confirmed that Mohan used to buy plastic containers in bulk from his shop. The policemen said that these bottles were used to store cyanide by Mohan. When Mohan questioned him as to how could he recollect the former’s face, he said he could identify Mohan as he frequently visited the shop.

Dinesh Rai, owner of Raghavendra Finance, Tokkottu, confirmed that the accused had visited his office on June 20, 2009, to pledge gold jewellery, and that the policemen had brought the accused to his office later, and taken into their possession documents and jewellery pledged by Mohan.

On Thursday, the judge again offered the services of a lawyer at the expenses of the government. During lunch period, some lawyers expressed their readiness to provide legal assistance to Mohan, duly expressing apprehension that he might get trapped further by defending the case on his own. However, Mohan refused both offers. He told the lawyers that he will examine their offer once hearing in the first case is concluded