Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 28: Upholding the application moved by the police department for the extension of the police custody of serial killer Mohan Kumar on Tuesday October 27, the court extended the same till November 2. Kumar was produced in the court of the judicial magistrate (senior division), Bantwal, on Tuesday evening.

Puttur assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Chandragupta, informed that the policemen are presently concentrating on the case pertaining to the death of Anita from Barimar, and will take up the cases relating to other deaths, in due course. The ASP, who was present when the killer was presented in the court, said that the keepers of the lodge in Hassan, where Kumar had stayed with Anita, have identified him.  It may be recalled that Anita was one of the girls to have been taken to Hassan, where her lifeless body was found lying in the bathroom of the bus stand.

The policemen revealed that Mohan Kumar, who appeared to be mentally disturbed for a few days, is now relaxed and has been extending full support for the investigations. The alleged head injury of Mohan Kumar, which had hit the headlines a couple of days back, was not visible when he was brought to the court.

In the meanwhile, the office of the deputy director of public instructions of the district, located in the city, issued a show cause notice to Mohan Kumar for his dismissal from service. The notice, while pointing out to Kumar that he had remained absent from his duties without proper authorization for long, as per his own admission, asked him as to why he should not be dismissed from the service. He has been given a week's time to reply. "If we do not receive any reply, he will be dismissed after a week," said the DDPI, Chame Gowda. "Mohan Kumar remained absent from August 3, 2005 and inquiry officers had been appointed to conduct an inquiry into his unauthorized absence. In their presence, he had admitted to have remained absent without permission. Preparations had been on to dismiss him from the services already," he explained.

During the period the inquiry was in progress, Mohan had applied for voluntary retirement, but his application was declined, as the inquiry against him had not yet been completed. In fact, he had produced medical certificates for his absence on May 19, 2008. Again, he requested the DDPI through a letter dated July 7 this year, of his willingness to rejoin for duties. However, permission was denied, as he had remained absent for too long, and as there were complaints about his behaviour, the DDPI explained. The department has its own doubts as to whether Kumar has been actually suffering from chest pain, back pain, asthma, tuberculosis etc., as mentioned in his medical certificates.