Cyanide Killing: Witness had seen Sunanda with Mohan

Mangalore, December 5: In the case pertaining to the death of Sunanda from Sullia in which Mohan Kumar alias ‘Cyanide Mohan’ is the accused, five witnesses deposed before the Fast Track Court here on Saturday.

One of the main witnesses Harini who is the cousin of Sunanda said that she had seen Mohan talking to his sister at a Congress rally held at Nehru Maidan in Mangalore on January 19, 2008. “Several people from our village had been to Mangalore to attend the Congress rally and the group included myself and Sunanda.

However, during the stage programme, when we all were seated at the ground, Sunanda was not to be seen. When I went out looking for her, I found her talking to a man near the parked jeep,” said Harini who also confirmed that the man was none other Mohan Kumar.

Further, she said that on returning home, Sunanda had told her about the man and had referred to him as Shashidhar. Shashidhar alias Mohan Kumar had introduced himself as the Supevisor in the Central Government Department and had convinced Sunanda of marrying her.

“On February 11, 2008, Sunanda left home saying she would go to Malla temple in Kerala along with Shashidhar. She had said that she would go to temple to offer special prayer to the God to eliminate ‘dosha’ which would block her marriage with Shashidhar.

Though she was supposed to return home in the evening, she called us at 6 pm and informed that she would come the next morning as they were yet to offer the ‘pooja’,” said Harini.

Further in her statement she said, on the same night at 8 pm, she received a call from the Mysore police who informed her about the death of Sunanda.

Soon after, we left to Mysore and identified her dead body at K R Hospital. Sunanda was wearing a necklace, a chain, a pair of earrings and bangles while she left the house, but had nothing on her body when we saw her at the hospital, said Harini.

Cross question

In response to her statements, Mohan Kumar argued that Harini had not seen him talking to Sunanda at Nehru Maidan, for which Harini said in certainty that she has seen him

talking to her sister.

Cross questioning her, Mohan Kumar asked why she has not mentioned about the missing jewelery in the police complaint filed at the Laskhar police station in Mysore, for which Harini kept mum.

Rathnavathi, mother of Sunanda who too was the main witness, narrated the entire story and said that Sunanda had told her of drawing Rs 25,000 cheque at Netravathi Bank in Bellare before leaving to Malla. Rathnavathi also said that she had identified the jeweleries belonging to her daughter at Ashirvad Finance in Thokkottu.

Cross questioning Rathnavathi, Mohan Kumar asked her to name those who accompanied her when she was taken to Ashirvad Finance. And there came the reply: “Don’t you know who all went there?” (Even Mohan Kumar was taken to the Finance along with Rathnavathi)

Finding her reply rude, Mohan Kumar asked the judge to tell the witness to speak with humility. However, the judge dismissed his plea and said it was not a problem as the reply has not affected the court procedure.

Three more witnesses, namely Subrhamnya, the cashier in Karnataka Gramina Vikasa Bank, Karnataka Pradesha Congress Member Rajivi Rai and Sunanda’s neighbour Ramanna Rao too put forth their statements.