In a significant development in the murder case of a rowdy-sheeter-turned-realtor, BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj appeared before the police on Saturday and was questioned for over three hours. The inquiry follows the Karnataka High Court’s directive, issued a day earlier, instructing the legislator to join the investigation on July 19.
The case pertains to the brutal killing of Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shivu (40), who was hacked to death in Bharathi Nagar, Bengaluru, on Tuesday night. Police have so far arrested five individuals, Jagadish, Kiran, Vimal, Anil, and Fredrick, in connection with the crime.
I will fully cooperate with the investigation: BJP MLA
A senior police official confirmed that the MLA was questioned extensively. “He appeared as instructed and was interrogated for more than three hours. The investigation is still ongoing, and further action will depend on findings from this detailed inquiry,” the official said.
Emerging from the police station, Basavaraj addressed the media and stated that he had fully cooperated with investigators. “I was called for questioning and I complied. The police have asked me to appear again on July 23, and I will cooperate as directed,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Emerging from the police station, Basavaraj addressed the media and stated that he had fully cooperated with investigators. “I was called for questioning and I complied. The police have asked me to appear again on July 23, and I will cooperate as directed,” he said.
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However, the MLA remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the inquiry. “I cannot disclose details of what was asked. I have made it clear to the investigating officer that I have no involvement in the matter,” he added. Responding to a reporter's query, he claimed he did not know Jagadish, one of the accused in the case.
Basavaraj’s questioning comes amid growing scrutiny, as he has been named the fifth accused in the First Information Report (FIR). The MLA has since moved court seeking to quash the FIR, calling it baseless and without evidence.
The controversy deepened after Vijayalakshmi, the mother of the deceased, alleged that she had not named Basavaraj in her original complaint. She questioned the legitimacy of the FIR, claiming that the police included his name on their own.
During an earlier court hearing, Special Public Prosecutor B A Belliyappa argued that the MLA may have influenced the complainant within 24 hours of the incident, possibly to pre-empt any legal action.