Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 18: The first additional district and sessions court has awarded life imprisonment to Raju alias Rasu (50) of Tamil Nadu origine. Raju had been charged with murdering his wife.

After slaying his wife, Raju had absconded. He was arrested after 16 long years. The court had pronounced on September 15 that the accused was found guilty of murder charge. The quantum of sentence was pronounced on Saturday September 17.

In addition, Raju has been imposed a fine of Rs 3,000. In case of failure to pay fine, he will be behind bars for three more months. While calculating his life term, days spent in judicial custody from September 5, 2014 to August 29, 2015 will be deducted.

Raju hails from Vaddan Chittari in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. He had come to Kumpanamajalu in Pudu village, Bantwal taluk several years ago with his brothers, and was working in stone quarry by staying in rented house. He happened to be addicted to liquor.

At around 1 am on July 22, 1998, he fought with his wife, and after murdering her with the sickle used for slicing tender coconuts, he had escaped.

Bantwal police has registered this case. The then police inspector, Shekharappa, ;had investigated the case and filed charge sheet in court, charging Raju, who was absconding, as the culprit. In the charge sheet, it was mentioned that Raju committed this act out of his suspicion about her character.

Raju, who had escaped after committing this heinous crime, was arrested on September 4, 2014 from Tamil Nadu by the police personnel of district crime intelligence bureau. The court, before coming to the above conclusion, had examined 13 witnesses. On behalf of prosecution, public prosecutor, Raju Poojary Bannadi had presented the case.