Bengaluru: Thimma of the notorious Dandupalya gang will be released following the state High Court’s order, upholding his petition for release.

Thimma has already spent 18 years in prison, since his arrest.

A division bench comprising Justice B S Patil and Justice B V Nagarathna ordered his release after hearing the arguments.

Ranganatha of Ulsoor was murdered in 1998 and later his house burgled by the notorious Dandupalya gang members. Killer gang members including Krishna, Munikrishna, Hanuma, Chinnappa and Thimma were found guilty by the 4th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court. The court handed life sentence to all the gang members in its judgement dated March 23, 2003. Later on December 7, 2007 high court had quashed the review petition by the guilty and upheld the order of the lower court.

In his petition to HC, Thimma had claimed that he was a juvenile during his arrest citing school records showing his date of birth as October 16, 1983 and requested HC to review his sentence. In his petition, he contended that a juvenile is supposed to serve only three years jail term instead of life terms handed over by the court.

Considering his genuine plea, he sought release from prison through his advocate Hasmath Pasha.

High court after taking note of the arguments ordered the release of Thimma, presently lodged in high security Hindalga Jail in Belagavi.