Missing woman found alive in Karnataka after seven years:Father suspected of murder; man accused of killing her tracks her down

A woman who went missing seven years ago in Karnataka’s Mandya district has been found alive. The man who found her was none other than the person who had been jailed on charges of murdering her. After being granted bail, the accused found the woman’s address with the help of his legal team. He learnt that she was living with her husband. He then informed the police. Woman left her father’s home in 2019 According to an NDTV report, the case dates back to 3 July 2019. Manju, a resident of the Pandavapura area of Mandya, had been married against her wishes. She then left her father’s home. At a bus stand, Manju borrowed a phone from a man and made an important call home. The phone belonged to Rajesh, a resident of Ragimuddanhalli. Manju then left to marry her boyfriend. When Manju did not return home, her father Nagaraju filed a missing-person complaint. The police traced Manju’s last call to Rajesh’s mobile number. However, in 2021, the missing-person case was closed without finding her whereabouts. Father filed a murder complaint in 2021 On 11 August 2021, Nagaraju filed a fresh complaint. Based on claims made by two men, Anantapadmanabha and Gurukumar, it alleged that Rajesh had abducted and murdered Manju in 2019 and thrown her body into the Cauvery River. The police registered a murder case. The investigating officer at the time, Inspector Prabhakar, arrested Rajesh. He prepared a report on the crime scene at Paschimavahini and filed a chargesheet for murder based on witness statements and the alleged confession. However, the police never found Manju’s body. Despite this, Rajesh had to spend around two to two and a half years in judicial custody. He was later granted bail with the help of his father and lawyers. Accused finds woman with the help of lawyers Even after being released on bail, Rajesh continued to maintain that he was innocent. His legal team then launched an independent investigation and found Manju near the Nagamangala area of Mandya. She was living with her husband. Rajesh’s lawyer informed the police. A case was subsequently registered at Bindiganavile Police Station, and Manju was sent to the Santvana Centre, a women’s shelter and counselling centre. In her initial statement, Manju said that Rajesh was innocent. She said she was unaware of the murder case registered after she went missing. Manju told the police, “I do not even know Rajesh. I also do not know why my father filed such a case against him. He is completely innocent, and I am ready to give this statement anywhere.” Family seeks action against father and retired inspector Rajesh’s family has demanded strict legal action against Manju’s father, Nagaraju, for allegedly filing a false complaint, and against retired inspector Prabhakar for allegedly fabricating evidence and ruining Rajesh’s life. Mandya SP Shobharani, speaking to the media, acknowledged serious lapses in the investigation. She declined to say under what circumstances the chargesheet was filed without the body being recovered. However, she directed the DSP to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a detailed report. The role of the retired investigating officer will also be examined. ​