UDUPI: A police officer, who was part of the police team that escorted Nejar quadruple murder case accused Praveen Chougule to Udupi court on Wednesday, was found drunk while on duty.
The police officer identified as Hanumanth Singh, Reserve Sub Inspector, admitted to have consumed alcohol when media persons questioned his highhandedness while the accused was being brought to the court. Udupi SP Dr Arun K said that he will send a report to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) concerned in Bengaluru to initiate disciplinary action against the police officer for being drunk while on duty.
SP Dr Aun K said Chougule was produced before the magistrate for the framing of charges. Later, he was sent back to Bengaluru jail.
Judge Dinesh Hegde of Second Additional District and Sessions Court of Udupi read out the charges against accused Praveen Chougule and the latter denied the charges. Special Public Prosecutor Shivaprasad Alva told TNIE that the next procedure in the court, pre-trial conference, will be held on April 5, 2024. During this process, it will be assessed as to how many witnesses will have to be examined in future to ensure the unnecessary burden of examining all witnesses again.
That will also save the court’s time and the trial can be completed faster, he said. Meanwhile, Chougule’s lawyer Rajesh has moved the second bail application and the hearing of the same was done on Wednesday.
The police had filed a chargesheet of 2,202 pages with 15 volumes against Chougule in connection with the murder of four members of a family in Tripti Nagar of Nejar. Chougule, then a senior cabin crew member with an airline company, was arrested in connection with the murders. Haseena (46), her daughters Afnan (23) and Ainaz (21) and son Aaseem (12) were stabbed to death in their house on November 12, 2023.