Cops finish grilling Belagere, he keeps mum on motive for supari

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has completed the interrogation of Ravi Belagere, the editor of Kannada weekly 'Hi Bengaluru', and will produce him before the court on Monday.

Belagere was arrested  on Friday  for allegedly paying a sharpshooter to kill his colleague Sunil Heggaravalli. He was in police custody for four days. The CCB said there was no need to extend his custody.  

Though he answered most of the questions asked by the investigating officer, he remained mum on why he gave the alleged supari.  

On Sunday, the CCB also recorded the statements of Heggaravalli, Belagere's second wife Yashomathi and the staff of 'Hi Bangalore'.  

Police have also video-recorded the statement of sharpshooter Shashidhar Ramachandra Mundewadi and taken his call detail report, which may play a  major role in the investigation.  

A senior police officer said  Belagere was taken to Victoria Hospital  on Saturday  night for a  medical check-up. Both his legs were injured in a mishap. Doctors, however, dressed only  one leg. The other leg has swollen now. Belagere confronted  the officer. "I am a diabetic. If doctors say one leg has to be cut, who will be responsible? Is this how  you treat me?"  

Heggaravalli met Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar on Sunday and sought police protection for himself, his wife Suchitha and eight-year-old son Surya. He told reporters later that the commissioner had instructed the DCP concerned to provide security and that he would talk to the IGP (VVIP security) to depute a gunman for him.