Bhatkal: In a significant verdict related to the brutal 2023 Bhatkal murder case, the Karwar Sessions Court on Tuesday sentenced one of the accused to death and another to life imprisonment for the murder of four members of a family in Hadvalli village, approximately 25 km from Bhatkal town.
The heinous crime occurred on February 24, 2023, when Shambu Venkataraman Bhat (65), his wife Madhavi Bhat (58), their son Raghavendra alias Rajeev Bhat (40), and daughter-in-law Kusuma Raghavendra Bhat (32) were found murdered in their home. The motive behind the killings was reportedly a long-standing property dispute.
Following the investigation, the police arrested three individuals: Vidya Bhat (the daughter-in-law of the deceased), her brother Vinay Bhat, and their father Shreedhar Bhat. Vidya Bhat was later released on bail after about a month in custody.
After detailed proceedings, the court on May 2 found Vinay Bhat and Shreedhar Bhat guilty, while acquitting Vidya Bhat of all charges. The sentencing was reserved for May 13.
In its judgment announced today, the court awarded the death penalty to Vinay Bhat. His father, Shreedhar Bhat, was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹2 lakh.
The case was investigated under the supervision of then Uttara Kannada SP Vishnu Varadhan and Additional SP C.T. Jayakumar. The investigation was led by Bhatkal Rural Police Inspector Chandan Gopal and his team, who subsequently filed the chargesheet against the accused. According to police sources, a total of 71 witnesses were produced during the trial.