Framed for wife’s ‘murder’, Karnataka man seeks ₹5 crore for lost years, ruined life

A man from Karnataka wrongfully accused of murdering his wife who later turned up alive has approached the High Court seeking ₹5 crore in compensation for the irreparable damage caused to his life and reputation.

Kurubara Suresh, a native of Kodagu district, was arrested in 2021 after police claimed a discovered skeleton belonged to his wife Mallige, who had gone missing in November 2020. What began as a missing person’s case soon turned into a nightmare after authorities mistakenly identified the remains and booked Suresh for murder.

After spending over a year behind bars, Suresh out on bail received a tip-off that would change everything. Friends had spotted Mallige alive and well, sipping coffee in a restaurant 30 km from Suresh’s home, accompanied by another man. She had been living with her lover since the day of her disappearance.

When produced before court, Mallige claimed she was unaware of her husband’s arrest. Her statement led to Suresh’s acquittal, and the trial court granted him a meager ₹1 lakh in compensation while directing further investigation into the unidentified skeleton.

Now, in a fresh petition filed before the Karnataka High Court, Suresh is demanding a drastic increase in compensation to ₹5 crore, arguing that he lost 1.5 years of his life, his dignity in society, and his children’s education.

“The state has failed me. I was branded a murderer while the real tragedy was my wrongful incarceration and the collapse of my family,” he says in his plea.

The petition also questions why only one police officer was booked for fabricating evidence, while four others involved face mere departmental inquiries. Suresh wants all five to be prosecuted and held accountable.

Further, he has requested that his name be officially expunged from the court's judgment as an "accused" and instead be recognized for what he truly is — a victim.

“Justice delayed ruined my life. Justice denied will erase what’s left of it,” he stated in his emotional appeal.