Mangaluru: The III additional district and sessions court has found five persons guilty in the murder of city advocate Naushad Kashimji in April 2010.
While convicting Dinesh Shetty of Beltangady taluk, Ganesh, Ritesh aka Ritu of Kodikkal in the city, Pratap Shetty of Kavoor and Subrahmanya of Kadri, the court has acquitted Shivaprakash of Urwa Stores and Ravi Shukwani of New Delhi from the charges.
The quantum of punishment is likely to be pronounced by magistrate S H Pushpanjali Devi on Thursday, Nov 26.
In all, twelve including underworld dons Ravi Pujari, Kali Yogish, Rahul of New Delhi, Mukesh and Rakesh Patel of Bengaluru, had been named in the chargesheet. While five of them are yet to be nabbed, seven were arrested.
The late advocate, Naushad Kashimji, had taken up the defence of Rashid Malbari, alleged associate of don Chhota Shakeel. Ravi Pujari has been charged with plotting of the murder of the advocate.
The accused had arrived at the Sweet Home apartment on Sturrock Road off Falnir Road on April 9 around 8-45 pm. One of them tricked Naushad into coming down from his apartment on the pretext of meeting him.
As he came to meet them, he was shot at and then assaulted with lethal weapons, according to the prosecution. Naushad had died of fatal injuries soon thereafter.
A bullet which had misfired was collected from the spot by the police. It was proved that it had been fired from the same revolver which was seized from the accused. This was a vital evidence in the case.
Secondly, one of the accused had blood stains on his trousers, which he gave for drycleaning. It was seized by the police. Since the blood stains were recorded, they too served as evidence.
The advocate’s senior, Purushottam Poojary, subsequently alleged that senior police inspectors Venkatesh Prasanna (now DySP), Jayant Shetty and Valentine D’Souza were behind the killing. While a court had ordered an inquiry against them, the state high court threw out the petition.
Selections from archives:
Mangaluru: Advocate Naushad Murder in April 2010 – Five Convicted, Two Acquitted
Bangalore: State High Court Stays CBI Inquiry into Naushad Kashimji Murder
Mangalore: Lawyer’s murder- Federation sets April 30 deadline to arrest culprits
Mangalore: CBI investigation sought into advocate’s murder
Mangalore: Advocates protest – Press for CBI enquiry in Naushad murder case
Mangalore: Lawyer’s murder takes a new turn
Mangalore: Four teams formed to nab killers of Malbari’s advocate
