Puttur: Couple behind Putholi Case Punished After 13 Years of Murder   
News: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SB)

Puttur, Mar 28: The accused in Harishchandra alias Putholi murder case, Edapathya Chandra and his wife Veena, that created statewide sensation 13 years ago, have finally been brought to books with fast track court here under judge Suryavamshi ruling them to be behind the murder on Saturday March 27. However, the court will announce the extent of punishment during the ruling reserved for April 8.

It can be recalled here that the Edapathya couple had been accused of murdering financer Harishchandra alias Putholi, a resident of Kemmar near Uppinangady here. The affair between Veena and Harishchandra, lovers during college days, which continued even after Veena’s marriage to Chandra was said to be the reason behind the murder. Putholi, who was also a partner in the finance company, Liona Leasing Limited in Bangalore had mysteriously disappeared after arriving from Bangalore to Mangalore along with his friend Divakar Rai Matantabettu on May 19.

Chandra, Veena and Putholi

Putholi’s mother, Sundari Rai had subsequently registered a missing complaint with Uppinangady police. Two months after this incident, Sundari Rai received a letter from an anonymous person stating that her son had been murdered. The police under deputy superintendent of police Ganapati took up the investigation and found Putholi’s watch and charred bones at Chandra’s farm. 

Amid this, Gampa Geleyara Balaga and such other organizations brought in pressure to streamline investigation and the case was soon handed over to district crime intelligence bureau and then to anti-rowdy squad. But, the investigation moved in a slackened pace.

Thereafter, the case was handed over to COD with the then Mangalore MP DV Sadananda Gowda bringing it forth in the assembly and then the then law minister M S Nanaiah approving the same.