In a dramatic turn of events, a man who spent one and a half years behind bars on charges of murdering his wife was released after she appeared alive in a Mysuru court. The local judiciary has now ordered a re-investigation into what it criticized as a severely mishandled case by the police.
Kurubara Suresha, 38, was arrested in late 2020 after his wife, Mallige, was reported missing from Kodagu district. Approximately nine months later, Bettadapura police discovered a woman’s body and coercively had Suresha identify the body as that of his wife’s, subsequently charging him with her murder.
The ordeal came to a startling halt when Mallige walked into court on her own, revealing that she was in fact alive, and thus throwing the case into confusion. Fifth Additional District and Sessions Judge Gururaj Somakkalavar highlighted the grave errors in the police investigation, noting the chargesheet was filled with inaccuracies and “junk” that needed disposal.
“This must be the third or fourth such incident in the entire nation where a person was judicially remanded based on flawed and insufficient evidence,” Judge Somakkalavar remarked during the session. He ordered the Superintendent of Police, N. Vishnuvardhana, to oversee a new investigation and submit a report by April 17.
The court heard that during the initial trial, which began in September 2022 and included numerous hearings, there was never conclusive evidence linking the deceased body to Mallige. Despite this, a chargesheet was filed against Suresha without substantive proof, relying on hearsay and circumstantial evidence such as clothing and bangles, which Mallige disowned in court.
In light of these revelations, the court has directed Mallige to stay in a rehabilitation center pending further testimony and the recording of her statement. Additionally, the judge has asked for a thorough questioning of the police officers involved in the botched handling of the chargesheet.
The accused’s father, Kurubara Gandhi, expressed profound distress over the ordeal his son endured, including alleged police torture. He has demanded justice and appropriate compensation for the wrongful imprisonment.
