Mohan Kumar case – hearing on Anita murder case commences

Mohan Kumar case – hearing on Anita murder case commences

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 22, 2011 : The hearing of the case of Mohan Kumar, the cyanide serial killer, who began life as a teacher, commenced at the fast track court on Nov 21 Monday.

Mohan Kumar stands accused of murdering several women and the police had arrested him on Oct 21, 2009. The police were actually investigating the case of Anita, who had gone missing from her house. This investigation put them on the track of 19 other murder victims, 13 of whom hailed from DK and 7 others were from Madikeri, Hassan, Bangalore, and Mysore. The case was then handed over to the CID for further investigation, and the CID submitted its report to the Mangalore District Court on April 20, 2011.

Although most of his victims are from DK, Mohan is alleged to have taken several women to Madikeri, Hassan, Bangalore, and Mysore, before killing them with cyanide. These cases are being heard in the respective district courts. If these cases are to be heard in the Mangalore District Court, the High Court needs to give its permission and the CID will have to submit an application to the judiciary.

On Nov 21 Monday, the Anitha murder case was heard in the fast track court based on the charge sheet filed by the police. Three witnesses were cross-examined in the morning session. The first witness was Madhava, the brother of Anitha, who said that his sister had gone to the medical store on June 17, 2009 to purchase medicine for toothache and had never returned. They had searched for her before lodging a missing person complaint at the police station on June 20, 2009. When the police arrested Mohan in Oct 2009, Anitha’s clothes and jewelry were among the various items the police had confiscated from him. Madhava said that he identified these items. 

Sumithra, the second witness, who is a tailor at BC Road, said that Mohan, calling himself Ananda Poojary, proposed to her six years back, but she had rejected him. She said that she had seen Mohan and Anitha get into a KSRTC bus to Hassan on June 17, 2009.

The third witness was Eshwar Bhat, a priest at the Durga Parameshwari Temple on BC Road. He said that on June 19, 2009, Mohan approached him and told him that he wanted to perform a pooja seeking forgiveness from God because he had killed a woman.

Mohan, who had not appointed a lawyer to represent him, said that Eshwar Bhat was not the priest of the temple at that time.

In the afternoon session, three more witnesses were heard.

Mohan hardly had any expression of guilt on his face. He had informed the court on Oct 20, 2010 that he would defend himself and had also borrowed law books to get prepared.

The case will be heard for six days till Nov 16 Saturday. The hearing of case of Leelavathi of Venur will commence on Nov 28 Monday and will continue till Dec 2 Friday. The case of Sumana of Sullia will commence on Dec 3 Saturday and will continue till Dec 9 Friday.