Visakhapatnam court sentences man to death for brutal murder of six family members

VISAKHAPATNAM: The IV Additional District Judge (ADJ) Court in Visakhapatnam has sentenced Bathinda Appalaraju to death for the brutal murder of six members of a family, including two children, in Pendurthi area in 2021.

According to the statement of Visakhapatnam city police, the court convicted Appalaraju under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and handed him the death sentence under IPC-302, along with a fine of ₹10,000.

Additionally, Appalaraju was sentenced to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment under IPC-449 with a fine of ₹1,000, 5 years of rigorous imprisonment under IPC-450 with a fine of ₹500, and 1 year of rigorous imprisonment each under IPC-451 and IPC-506(2) with fines of ₹500 each.

The incident occurred around 5 am on April 15, 2021, when Appalaraju (47) brutally killed the six members of the same family with a sharp knife due to personal enmity. The victims included Allu Ramadevi (47), Nekketla Aruna ( 36), Bammidi Ramana (61), Bammidi Usharani (31), Bammidi Udayanandan (3) and Bammidi Kiran, a six-month-old baby.

The court, presided over by judge M Nageswara Rao, delivered the verdict after a thorough hearing in the case registered at Pendurthi Police Station (Cr.No.204/2021).

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has reserved its verdict on the bail applications of Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, who are currently in judicial custody in connection with the alleged supply of adulterated cow ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) by AR Dairy. Senior Counsel S. Sriram and Advocate Sushil Kumar represented the accused.

The case originated from an FIR lodged by the General Manager of TTD, accusing the supplier of violating tender terms and delivering substandard ghee intended for use in sacred rituals at the Tirumala temple. Given the potential implications for public health and religious sanctity, the Supreme Court had intervened and directed the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fair and independent probe.

In compliance with the Court’s directions, the accused appeared before the SIT in February 2025 and have been in custody since. Investigations suggest the adulterated ghee was sourced from Bhole Baba Dairy, routed through Vyshnavi Dairy, and ultimately supplied to TTD by AR Dairy.

The probe is being led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as part of a coordinated multi-agency effort. Arguing for the petitioners, Senior Counsel S. Sriram and Advocate Sushil Kumar highlighted the prolonged incarceration of the accused and pointed to procedural lapses in the investigation. They questioned the timing of FIRs related to witness intimidation–raised by the SIT and CBI in March and April, but filed only in June–suggesting the delay reflected an afterthought.

The SIT submitted material allegedly showing that the accused attempted to threaten witnesses. However, the defence drew the Court’s attention to the actions of a police officer who continued to investigate the case despite not being part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT–an irregularity already criticised by another bench of the High Court.

The CBI, represented by Standing Counsel PSP Suresh Kumar, defended the investigative process, maintaining that all steps were taken lawfully and with proper magisterial oversight. Emphasising full cooperation with the investigation, the defence reiterated that the petitioners posed no flight risk and were willing to adhere to any conditions imposed by the Court, including restrictions on travel, regular reporting, and non-interference with witnesses. After hearing detailed submissions from both sides, Justice Srinivas Reddy reserved the order on the bail pleas. (ANI)