By The News Observer Desk,
Karwar: The District and Sessions Court in Karwar on Monday rejected the bail application of Chirag Kotharkar, the prime accused in the suicide case of Kadra resident Rishel D’Souza, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the conduct of the accused during the course of the investigation.
Rishel Christod D’Souza, a resident of Kadra in Uttara Kannada district, died by suicide on January 9. Following the incident, Chirag Kotharkar, who was named as the accused, went absconding, prompting the police to launch a search operation. After several weeks, he was arrested on January 30 from his uncle’s residence in Chennai and was subsequently produced before the court.
The police had secured Chirag’s custody for nine days for detailed interrogation. During the course of the investigation, the police also arrested his uncle and aunt in connection with the case. After the completion of police custody, the court had remanded Chirag to judicial custody till February 10 and had reserved its order on his bail plea.
As scheduled, the district court pronounced its order on February 10 and rejected the bail application. The court took into account the gravity of the case, the fact that the accused had been absconding after the incident, and the stage of the ongoing investigation. The order was passed by Principal District and Sessions Judge Parameshwara Prasanna B.
Public Prosecutor Tanuja Hoskattana appeared on behalf of the state and strongly opposed the bail plea, while the investigating officer, Kadra Police Inspector Prabhakar, submitted investigation reports before the court.
The investigation is still in progress, with key forensic evidence awaited. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports of the mobile phones belonging to both Chirag and Rishel are yet to be received. In addition, the police are awaiting the second post-mortem report, sought in the backdrop of rape allegations raised by the victim’s family.
With the district court rejecting the bail plea, Chirag will continue to remain in judicial custody. Meanwhile, sources said that the Kotharkar family is preparing to approach the High Court seeking bail relief.
The case continues to draw significant attention in the district, as the victim’s family has been pressing for a thorough and time-bound investigation to ensure justice.
