Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (DC/SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 19: The high court on Wednesday July 18, acquitted the notorious Dandupalya gang members of the charge of murder. The gang has been absolved in several past cases too, mostly for want of evidence, non-recovery of weapons of murder etc.

Five gang members had been handed down life imprisonment for the said murder. But with the high court ordering their release for want of evidence on Wednesday July 18, all of them will now walk free.

The current case pertains to the murder of Vedamurthy (20), a student, at HRBR Layout here on May 19, 1999. The youth was alone at home as his parents were away at their workplaces. He was suffering from fever. When the parents came back, they saw that their son was dead and ornaments as well as valuables had been stolen. Banaswadi police who investigated the case had concluded that Dandupalya gang members were involved with this murder. Dandupalya gang had also been charged with several other murders and robberies.

Dandupalya gang - File photo

Later, six members of the gang were arrested. A trial court, which conducted hearing in the case, handed down life imprisonment to all the six, and imposed fine of Rs 30,000 each. One of the gang members, Chinnappa, died when serving this sentence. The others, Doda Hanuma, Chinnappa, Munikrishna, Koti Thimma, and Krishna had gone on appeal against the trial court order.

The high court said in its verdict that the prosecution had failed to conclusively prove beyond reasonable doubts the involvement of the gang members in the above murder.