BENGALURU: In a 17-year-old case, five members of the notorious Dandupalya gang were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday. The special court also imposed `5,000 fine on each of them. Dodda Hanuma, Venkatesh, Munikrishna, Lakshmi and Nalla Thimma are those convicted.
Judge Shivanagowda of the special court set up in Parappana Agrahara made it clear that the accused should be in jail till the end of their life. They were convicted in relation to the murder of one Geetha of Kamakshipalya in November 2000.
According to the prosecution, the convicted gained entry into the house of the deceased on pretext of asking for drinking water, and murdered her by repeatedly stabbing on her neck, back and other parts of the body. They also robbed her of ornaments. Firstly, the special court had imposed death penalty on them in this case. On July 27, 2017, the high court asked for a re-trial, citing the lapses in procedures adopted in imposing death penalty on them. The special court heard the case afresh and delivered the verdict.