HC bench acquits man accused in Belagavi triple murder case, cites lack of evidence

BELAGAVI: In a rare case, the Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court has overturned the life sentence awarded to a man accused in a triple murder case which had schocked Belagavi.

The HC bench of Justices K S Mudgal and M G S Kamal, in its order on June 21, acquitted the accused Praveen Bhat citing lack of proper electronic evidence. On April 16, 2021, the second district and sessions court had ordered life imprisonment to Praveen in the triple murder case.

Reena and her two children were found murdered in their house.

The triple murder had taken place in the wee hours on August 16, 2015, at Kuvempu Nagar in the city. Reena Malagatti and her two children Aditya and Sahitya were found brutally murdered in their house.

The APMC police had arrested Praveen Bhat within 24 hours of the murder. It was widely believed that Praveen’s illicit affair with Reena had led to the murder.