that Venkavva Patil (PW-5) and Ajit Patil (PW-6) did not name the appellant though R was missing from 6:30 p.m. onwards on 28th December 2010, and the first mention of the appellant’s involvement surfaces only in the FIR dated 1st January 2011. Therefore, the evidence of ‘last seen’ propounded and based on depositions by Venkavva Patil (PW-5) and Ajit Patil (PW-6) is shaky and doubtful. 10. Khanapur is a small village, secluded and away from urban areas or other habitations, which is apparent from the fact that the closest police station is located about nineteen kilometres away. Hanamappa (PW-4) who had made the police complaint (Exhibit P-6) on 29th December 2010, and his neighbours Venkavva Patil (PW-5) and Ajit Patil (PW-6) are village dwellers and simple people. Village communities are close-knit, and given the camaraderie, faith and trust amongst the known villagers, Hanamappa (PW-4), Venkavva Patil (PW-5) and Ajit Patil (PW-6) may not have initially suspected the appellant’s foul play in disappearance of R. The complaint (Exhibit P-6) is short and brief; while mentioning that R was missing, it does not record that she may have been raped and killed by someone. This is also evident from Hanamappa’s (PW-4) cross-examination wherein he has stated that at the time of filing of the complaint, he did not know Criminal Appeal Nos. 1473-1474 of 2017 Page 9 of 30

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