Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Jun 13: Atul Rao, accused in the 15-year-old missing and suicide case of Padmapriya, wife of former MLA K Raghupati Bhat, was acquitted by the district's second additional court on Wednesday.
Atul Rao was accused of cheating and creating fake documents. Padmapriya went missing on June 10, 2008, from her house in Karamballi. On June 19, 2008, a case was filed at the Manipal police station accusing Atul Rao, a childhood friend of Raghupati Bhat, of cheating with fake documents. The COD officials who conducted the inquiry filed a chargesheet in court.
Padmapriya (left) and Atul Rao
The Udupi CJM court, which conducted the inquiry, sentenced Atul Rao to one year of imprisonment on November 10, 2023. However, Atul appealed to the district court. Justice Dinesh Hegde, who conducted the inquiry, acquitted Atul Rao.
Arun Bangera and Steevan Lewis argued for the accused.