Investigation handed over to CCB
The police suspect that a gang hired by a notorious rowdy-cum-realtor may have murdered C N Srinivas, husband of Devasandra corporator R Manjula Devi, in K R Puram on Wednesday.
The suspected mastermind, a rowdy-sheeter with the Ramamurthynagar police, is said to be enjoying the patronage of a Congress MLA. “We strongly suspect that it is a supari killing. The mastermind have hired a gang of small-time rowdies who executed the murder,” a senior officer from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) told Deccan Herald.
“He enjoys the patronage of the MLA who is close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The suspect is involved in an assault case in K R Puram and many heinous crimes in Avalahalli and Hoskote. He is into real estate business and has amassed properties worth around Rs 200 crore,” said the officer.
He reportedly spent nearly Rs three crore and ensured the victory of his ‘god father’ in the 2013 Assembly elections. He also nurtured a grudge against a senior BJP leader from K R Puram as well as Srinivas, not for political reasons but over business dealings, said police sources.
The growth of Srinivas on the political and real estate fronts did not go down well with his political opponents and an attempt was made on his life in April 2013, allegedly at the behest of the rowdy-sheeter, the sources said.
“We will interrogate the rowdy-sheeter soon and two teams have been formed for the purpose,” said a senior officer. The interrogation would throw more light on the murder and increasing rowdy activities in K R Puram, Ramamurthynagar and Banaswadi areas.
The City police might even question a senior police officer from KR Puram sub-division over his close links with the suspect as there are allegations that he had gifted a site to the officer.
The officer also said that some relatives of Manjula Devi had a dispute in regard to a layout Srinivas was developing at Anekal.
The police do not rule out the possibility of they having joined hands with the mastermind. The police would question them too if needed, he added.
Kamal Pant, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), said: “The case was handed over to the CCB and the local police are assisting them to nab the culprits at the earliest.”