BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court confirmed the life imprisonment imposed on advocate S L Rajappa by the trial court, for murdering his colleague Naveena.The division bench of Justice K N Phaneendra and Justice Dr HB Prabhakara Sastry upheld the sentence imposed on Rajappa, while dismissing the criminal appeal that questioned the judgement of the trial court.
Rajappa, 34, from Sigala Palya in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district, filed the criminal appeal, praying to set aside the judgement of conviction by the trial court. The order sentenced him to imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 5,500.
The HC said, “The argument of the counsel of Rajappa that the act of the accused can at best be termed as an act committed under provocation, cannot be accepted. The prosecution has placed cogent, consistent, reliable and trust-worthy evidence, which have clearly proved beyond all reasonable doubts, that the accused committed the murder of Naveena and also attempted to commit suicide.”
The appellant, Rajappa and deceased, Naveena were alumni were practising as advocates in Bengaluru. After Naveena turned down his proposal for marriage, Rajappa murdered her in the eastern corridor of the HC. He even attempted suicide by consuming poison and stabbing himself with the same knife.