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TN man arrested over murder of Karnataka ex-minister’s brother-in-law
Police have arrested a man suspected to be involved in the murder of Mahadevaiah, the brother-in-law of former BJP minister CP Yogeshwar.
Bengaluru: Police have arrested a man suspected to be involved in the murder of Mahadevaiah, the brother-in-law of former BJP minister and MLC CP Yogeshwar, officials in the know of the development said on Friday.
Special police teams formed to crack the murder arrested man, identified as Murugan (only first name given by police), a labourer from Tamil Nadu.
Investigations reveal that Murugan, who worked as a gardener in a farmhouse adjacent to Mahadevaiah’s house for several years, may have been privy to valuable information. The proximity to Mahadevaiah and knowledge of his financial dealings, particularly the money in a locker inside the house, allegedly led to Murugan planning the murder, police said.
“The reconstruction of the events indicates a meticulous execution of the plan. On the night of December 1, three unidentified assailants stormed into Mahadevaiah’s farmhouse. Their target was a locked container concealing valuables. They abducted Mahadevaiah and went away with him,” an official aware of the matter said.
“Their tracks were retraced, which showed revelry in a dhaba, water purchase along the route, and finally, the desolate forest area of Hanur Taluk in Chamarajanagar district, where Mahadevaiah was killed,” he said.
“The perpetrators used face masks to hide from CCTV surveillance. However, based on CCTV footage from various locations in Ramanagara and Chamarajanagara districts where the killers passed in a car, the police identified the accused. Scrutinising CCTV footage from various locations has become a crucial investigative tool, piecing together the timeline and potentially offering clues to the identities of the remaining accomplices,” the official said.
The police initially suspected that it was the handiwork of supari killers hired by rivals of Mahadevaiah, who is a real estate entrepreneur facing multiple cases in court related to land disputes.
“The police teams formed by Ramanagara SP to crack the murder went to Tamil Nadu and are investigating there. More details could be known after their arrival in Channapatna,” said Channapatna rural police inspector Krishna.
