Karnataka high court sentences 4 to life, fines Rs 3.6L for bank robbery in 2012

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has imposed a life sentence and a cumulative fine of Rs 3.6 lakh on four people in a bank robbery case registered by Soladevanahalli police in 2012.A division bench comprising Justices HP Sandesh and Venkatesh Naik T imposed the punishment on Devesh Kumar Singh, Vikas Kumar Gupta, Premkumar Sahu and Imran Ali, all residents of Bengaluru, for offences of robbery, murder and criminal conspiracy. They were also convicted under the Arms Act.On Nov 19, 2012, the gang barged into the Chikkabanavara branch of the Corporation Bank. Singh held a pistol and threatened the manager to come out of his cabin. He told others to move aside. When one customer, Muralidhar, hesitated a little, he was shot. The gang looted Rs 15.2 lakh and fled. Muralidhar succumbed to his injuries.Police traced Singh to a lodge in the city and based on his information, three others were apprehended. On April 25, 2016, a sessions court convicted Singh but acquitted three others.While Singh challenged his conviction, police filed an appeal, seeking the maximum punishment for murder, dacoity, criminal conspiracy, and offences under the Arms Act.The division bench noted that the prosecution clearly established that these four people, along with the two other absconding persons, conspired together to commit robbery. Though all of them went near the bank and only Singh entered inside, the others facilitated him to rob the cash.All of them shared their common object to commit the robbery. Hence, the charges levelled against them were proved, the division bench elaborated in its recent judgment.The convicts were directed to surrender immediately to serve the sentence. Out of the penalty amount, 80% was directed to be paid to Parvathamma, the wife of the deceased Muralidhar.