TUMAKURU: A web of illicit passion, betrayal and a shallow grave beneath an unfinished house has culminated in a life sentence for a man convicted of murdering his younger brother, with DNA evidence and extra-judicial confessions playing a crucial role in securing the conviction.A court convicted Raja Naik (47) of murdering his younger brother, Ravichandra Naik (40), and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The co-accused, Savitri Bai, died of illness last month before the trial concluded, police said.The crime took place at Kamalanaika Tanda in Sira taluk on April 2, 2022.According to the prosecution, Ravichandra, a mason, was strangled to death by his elder brother Raja Naik and his wife, Savitri Bai.Investigators said the murder was motivated by an illicit relationship between Savitri Bai and Raja Naik. After Ravichandra discovered the affair, the two allegedly conspired to eliminate him.On the night of April 2, 2022, they allegedly strangled Ravichandra inside his house and buried his body beneath the dirt floor of his half-constructed home in an attempt to conceal the crime.To divert suspicion, Savitri Bai allegedly told family members that her husband had gone to Bengaluru for masonry work.The deception continued for nearly two months.However, on June 1, 2022, relatives gathered to complete the registration of family land and asked Savitri Bai to contact Ravichandra so he could sign the documents.Her evasive and contradictory responses aroused suspicion. Under persistent questioning by family members, she eventually confessed to the murder.Police subsequently arrested Raja Naik and Savitri Bai on charges of murder.The following day, investigators exhumed Ravichandra’s body from beneath the unfinished house. As the remains had decomposed significantly, police relied on DNA analysis to establish the victim’s identity.Samples from the remains were matched with those of Ravichandra’s son, conclusively confirming the identity of the deceased.Public prosecutor VA Kavita said the conviction was based on multiple pieces of evidence, including the DNA report identifying the victim, extra-judicial confessions allegedly made by the accused describing how the murder was carried out, and consistent testimony from the victim’s family members during the trial.An extra-judicial confession is a statement made before a person other than a police officer or a magistrate and may be admissible in evidence if found to be voluntary and reliable.Police said Savitri Bai died last month after battling a severe lung infection before the court could pronounce judgment in the case.Investigators also pointed to Raja Naik’s criminal past. In 2019, he had faced trial in connection with the alleged murder of his wife, Shravanti Bai, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
