Karnataka: Man Spent 2.5 Years In Jail For Alleged Murder, Woman Missing Since 2019 Found Alive

A woman who went missing in Karnataka's Mandya district in 2019 has been found alive in Nagamangala. Her reappearance has raised questions about the murder case in which a man spent two and a half years in jail.

In a shocking turn of events in Karnataka's Mandya district, a woman who was presumed murdered seven years ago has resurfaced, revealing that the man accused of killing her may have been wrongly implicated in the case.

Manju, 35, who went missing from Pandavapura in 2019, was found alive in Mayigonahalli village of Nagamangala taluk on Wednesday. Her disappearance had led to a murder complaint filed by her father, Nagaraju, against M.R. Rajesh, alias Kaala, a resident of Ragimuddanahalli village in Pandavapura taluk.

Based on the complaint, Rajesh was arrested and spent approximately two and a half years in prison in connection with the alleged murder. He was released on bail in January 2024.

The case has now taken an unexpected turn following Manju's reappearance. Her statement reportedly indicates that she had left home and had been living elsewhere. The development has raised serious questions about the police investigation, allegations of custodial torture and the circumstances that led to a man spending years behind bars for a crime he may not have committed.

Karnataka Woman Missing Since 2019 Found Alive In Nagamangala

Manju went missing from Pandavapura in 2019. Following her disappearance, her father, Nagaraju, approached the Pandavapura police station and filed a complaint alleging that she had been murdered by M.R. Rajesh.

According to the complaint, Rajesh had allegedly pushed Manju into the Kaveri River at Pashchimavahini in Srirangapatna. Acting on the complaint, the police investigated the case and subsequently arrested Rajesh.

The investigation reportedly relied on a mobile phone call made by Manju before she went missing. The call was traced to a phone belonging to Rajesh, whom she had reportedly met at the Pandavapura bus stand.

Based on this lead, a murder case was registered against Rajesh approximately two years after Manju's disappearance. He was subsequently arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

Man Spent Two And A Half Years In Jail Over Alleged Murder

Rajesh, also known as Kaala, is a resident of Ragimuddanahalli village in Pandavapura taluk. He spent approximately two and a half years in prison in connection with the alleged murder case, beginning in 2021.

He was released on bail in January 2024. However, the case took an unexpected turn when Manju was traced to Mayigonahalli village in Nagamangala taluk, seven years after she went missing.

According to reports, Rajesh's lawyer, Natesh, received credible information about Manju's whereabouts, which eventually helped trace her.

Her reappearance has raised serious questions about the investigation and the evidence used to implicate Rajesh in the alleged murder.

Allegations Of Police Torture And Forced Confession

Serious allegations have also emerged regarding the methods used during the police investigation.

It has been alleged that Rajesh was subjected to custodial torture and forced to confess to a crime he had not committed. Reports claim that he was kicked with boots, subjected to electric shocks and threatened with the arrest of his family members during interrogation.

According to these allegations, Rajesh confessed under fear and pressure rather than admitting to a crime he had actually committed.

Questions have also been raised about the investigation conducted by Prabhakar, the then Police Inspector at the Pandavapura police station.

However, these allegations require further investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Rajesh's arrest, interrogation and subsequent imprisonment.

Woman Says She Left Home Against Her Family's Wishes

After being traced, Manju was handed over to the Bindiganavile police, who recorded her statement to establish the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

In her statement, Manju reportedly explained that she had been married to a man named Manjunath against her wishes. She said she was in love with another man, Nagendra, and had left home to be with him.

She stated that she and Nagendra got married and lived in Tamil Nadu for a few years before moving to Mayigonahalli village in Nagamangala taluk, where they have been residing.

Manju also reportedly said that she was unaware of the murder complaint filed by her father and the case registered against Rajesh. She maintained that Rajesh had never harmed her and that she had no knowledge of the allegations made against him.

Her statement has brought a major twist to the case, which had remained unresolved for several years.

Questions Raised Over Police Investigation And Accountability

Manju's reappearance after seven years has brought renewed attention to the investigation that resulted in Rajesh's arrest and imprisonment in connection with her alleged murder.

The development has raised several questions about how the police concluded that Manju had been murdered without establishing her whereabouts or verifying the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

The allegations of custodial torture and a forced confession have also brought the conduct of the investigation under scrutiny.

With Manju now found alive, the authorities will have to examine the evidence collected during the original investigation, the circumstances surrounding Rajesh's alleged confession and the role of the officials involved.

The case has also raised concerns about the impact of investigative lapses on innocent individuals and the need for accountability when wrongful arrests and imprisonment occur.

For Rajesh, Manju's reappearance marks a significant development in a case that kept him behind bars for approximately two and a half years. The next stage of the investigation will be crucial in establishing how the case unfolded and determining whether any officials were responsible for lapses.