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K’taka MLC brother-in-law murder: Prime suspect’s wife, kin held from Tamil Nadu
According to officials, CCTV footage played a crucial role in tracking Murugesh, and after discovering his address in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, police teams moved swiftly to make the arrest
Bengaluru: Two more people have been arrested from Tamil Nadu in connection with the murder of Karnataka MLC CP Yogeshwar’s brother-in-law P Mahadevaiah, police said on Sunday, a day after the prime suspect, Murugesh (42), was taken into custody.
Murugesh (40) was earlier working in the fields of Mahadeviah the MLC’s brother in Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara district and was known to Mahadevaiah.
“The prime accused Murugesh has been arrested and produced before JMFC court in Ramanagara on Saturday, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days. Again, he has been admitted to Ramanagara government hospital undergoing treatment due to a snakebite,” Ramanagara SP Karthik Reddy told HT.
Murugesh was arrested from Tamil Nadu while receiving treatment for a snakebite on December 15.
Officials involved in the investigation said Murugesh’s wife and his stepbrother have been arrested in connection with the crime, and a search is going on for another accused. “The two are currently being interrogated at a confidential place,” an official said.
Murugesh found out that Mahadevaiah had recently got ₹7 crore after selling a property. Assuming that the money must be in the victim’s farmhouse at Vaddaradoddi in Channapatna taluk, he along with his two associates killed Mahadevaiah to make away with the cash. But the victim had kept the money in the bank.
The body was disposed of near Ramapura in Hanur taluk in Chamarajanagara district. The accused believed that by concealing the body in the car, they could avoid detection. Consequently, they decided to transport the body to Tamil Nadu by car. However, the vehicle faced issues on the way, prompting them to stop near Ramapura. The assailants abandoned the car there and boarded a bus to Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu on December 3, police officials said.
According to officials, CCTV footage played a crucial role in tracking Murugesh, and after discovering his address in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, police teams moved swiftly to make the arrest. However, when the police arrived at Murugesh’s residence, he was not present, having been admitted to Dharmapuri Hospital for a snakebite. Suspecting Karnataka police might come to the house, Murugesh removed the drips and tried to abscond from the hospital in a vehicle. But the police team chased him and arrested him, police officials said.
Murugesh, residing in Channapatna for two decades, confessed to the murder, citing Mahadevaiah’s alleged betrayal as the motive, police officials said.
Murugesh was reportedly removed from the job three months ago, but he continued to stay in the locality.
