Mangaluru: In a 9-year-old case, the Principal District and Sessions Court on Tuesday February 2, sentenced Dhananjay (33) to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000 for illegally possessing a revolver and live bullets. Failure to pay the fine will attract another year of rigorous imprisonment.

On February 2, 2007, the then Mangalore South police station inspector Dr HS Venkatesh Prasanna, based on a tip-off had arrested Dhananjay from Mangalore Service Bus Stand and recovered four live bullets of 0.38 caliber, a revolver and a magazine.

Dhananjay had informed the police that he was only carrying the arms on the direction of a person named Krishna. The police had also arrested a person named Rajendra and recovered two ammunitions from his rented house.

Dr Prasanna had registered a case against the trio under Arms Act.

The then Pandeshwar police sub-inspector Ravishankar submitted a charge-sheet under Arms Act 25 (1)a.

The Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Uma HG held Dhananjay guilty while third accused Rajendra is already dead.

Meanwhile, Krishna alias Santhosh alias Kitti was absolved of all charges due to lack of proof.

Pushparaj Adyanthaya was the public prosecutor.