Mangaluru: The III Additional Dakshina Kannada District and Sessions judge S. Sandhya on Monday acquitted five persons accused in the murder of Mohammed Iliyas, the head of ‘Target Gang’ and an office-bearer of Mangaluru Assembly Block Youth Congress, in Jeppu Kudpady in Mangaluru in 2018.

Two persons stormed into the flat near Kudpady Jumma Masjid in which Iliyas was staying and hacked the latter to death on January 13, 2018.

Based on a complaint by Illiyas’s wife Farjhana, then Mangaluru South inspector K.U. Belliyappa filed a chargesheet against Davood, Mohammed Sameer, Ummer Navaf, Noushad, Mohammed Naseer, A Riyaz, Nameer Hamza, Asgar Ali, and Abdul Khadar.

The police arrested Davood, Sameer, Riyaz, Hamza and Khader, and reported to the court that the remaining four accused were absconding. The court then split the case and held a trial against the five accused persons.

The judge on Monday acquitted Davood, Sameer, Riyaz, Hamza, and Khader of offences punishable under Sections 302 (murder), 143 (unlawful assembly) 147b (rioting), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 448 (house trespass), 109 and 114 of Indian Penal Code. All the five are set at liberty forthwith, the judge said.

Concerning Hamza who is in jail, the judge directed the jail authorities to release him if he is not required in any other case.

The judge further asked Illiyas’s wife Farjhana to approach the District Legal Services Authority for compensation under the victim compensation scheme.