Karnataka High Court Confirms Life Sentence in 2017 Shivamogga Child Murder Case
The Karnataka High Court has upheld the life imprisonment sentence handed to a man convicted for the brutal murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy in Shivamogga district back in 2017. This heinous crime was committed as an act of revenge against the toddler's mother and grandmother, stemming from a personal grudge.
Judicial Modification on Sentence Terms
A division bench, comprising Justices HP Sandesh and Venkatesh Naik, delivered the judgment, affirming the conviction but modifying a key aspect of the trial court's order. The original sentence mandated that Rudresh, also known as Rudraiah, would serve life imprisonment until his natural death, effectively barring any possibility of remission. The High Court bench has now allowed him the statutory right to seek remission of his sentence in the future.
Background of the Tragic Incident
The complainant, Chaitrashri, along with her family from Alavalli at Siddapur, were devout followers of the Moolegadde mutt located in Hosanagar, Shivamogga district. On April 8, 2017, they visited the mutt to attend the coronation ceremony of the new swamiji, accompanied by Chaitrashri's mother, Renuka, her young son Srujaya, and other relatives.
Rudresh, who worked as an assistant at the mutt, harbored deep resentment against Chaitrashri and her mother after they reported financial irregularities to the seer. This grudge ultimately led to a premeditated and tragic sequence of events.
Details of the Crime and Investigation
On the night of April 10, 2017, after the family had dinner and retired to sleep inside the mutt premises, Rudresh executed his sinister plan. He had spiked their dinner with sleeping tablets, rendering them unconscious. In the early hours of April 11, around 5:30 AM, the family awoke to find the toddler missing and the mutt doors wide open.
When questioned, Rudresh behaved evasively, which immediately raised suspicions among the family members. The police subsequently registered a case against him, filing a chargesheet for abduction and murder. The prosecution presented evidence that Rudresh kidnapped the unconscious child and threw him into the nearby Mavinahole river, resulting in the boy's death.
Legal Proceedings and Court Rulings
The sessions court in Shivamogga found Rudresh guilty of the charges and, on November 27, 2017, sentenced him to life imprisonment with the specific condition that he would remain in prison until his natural death. This ruling was intended to ensure he served the full term without any chance of early release.
However, the High Court division bench, in its recent judgment, clarified the legal position. The bench stated, "The trial court imposed life imprisonment, meaning that he has to serve the sentence till his natural death. Hence, it is very clear that ... no right accrues to the accused to seek any remission when the imprisonment for life is imposed, till the remainder of life." The bench further emphasized that the sessions court could not legally prohibit the statutory benefit of remission, leading to the modification of the sentence terms.
This judgment underscores the judiciary's commitment to upholding justice while ensuring that legal procedures and rights, including the possibility of remission, are adhered to as per statutory provisions.
