Mother, son get life sentence for murdering kin

MANGALURU: The first additional district and sessions court sentenced a woman and her son to life imprisonment on Tuesday, finding them guilty of murder. Judge C M Joshi awarded life term for Parvathi, 60 and her son Raveesh, 43, for murdering Saraswathi, 28. Raveesh, the victim's husband, suspected Saraswathi's fidelity and assaulted her on February 17, 2011, alonwith his mother.
The assault took place at their house in Appedapade village, near Vittal. Rohitashwa, the couple's four-year-old son, and two other family members were witness to the incident. Based on a complaint from Poovappa Nayak, Saraswathi's father, Nanjunde Gowda, then circle police inspector arrested the mother-son duo and filed the chargesheet. Raju Poojary B, prosecutor, examined as many as 23 witnesses including Rohitashwa.
Barring Rohitashwa, who told the judge about the act committed by his father and grandmother, other witnesses turned hostile. Judge Joshi who relied on the evidence given by the boy sentenced Parvathi and Raveesh to undergo life imprisonment and directed them to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each. Joshi also directed district legal services authority to pay a compensation under Karnataka Victim Compensation Scheme to Rohitashwa, who is now staying with Poovappa Nayak.