Reversing the trial court’s verdict of acquitting realtor-turned-film producer B.M. Govardhana Murthy, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday found him guilty of murdering budding actor Vinod Kumar in 2008 and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on Murthy and directed the State to pay ₹4.5 lakh of this sum as compensation to the mother of the victim.
A Division Bench comprising Justice S.N. Satyanarayana and Justice H.P Sandesh delivered the verdict while allowing an appeal filed by the prosecution questioning the trial court’s December 26, 2012 verdict. The Bench directed the Bengaluru rural district sessions court to secure the presence of Murthy for serving the sentence.
Murthy killed 32-year-old Vinod by using his licensed pistol during a party organised by the former at a farm on the outskirts of Bengalur on October 7, 2008.
The Bench held that there were eyewitnesses to the incident who had taken the victim to the hospital, and the injured actor had given a statement to the doctor before he breathed his last. And all the material available on record are enough to conclude that Murthy, using his licensed pistol, killed Vinod, the Bench said.
Though the complainant, Shankar Reddy, was not examined in the case, there were other witnesses who were consistent in their statements before the police as well as court during the trial, to establish that Murthy had killed the actor, the Bench observed.
Miscarriage of justice
The High Court observed that the trial court had failed to consider the materials in proper perspective and acquittal had resulted in miscarriage of justice.
Apart from convicting him for murder, the High Court also found him guilty of violating the licence conditions under Section 30 of the Arms Act for using his licensed pistol for taking the life a person, and sentenced him to simple imprisonment for six months.
