Courier in jail shoot-out case arrested

Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal on Sunday disclosed that Mandi Police probing jail shoot-out case that occurred on March 10, have arrested Shivangowda Sharanappa Biradar on June 15. A native of Bijapur, Biradar was arrested in Nelamangala on the day. He was produced before the court and was subsequently remanded in five days police custody till June 20.

During interrogation, Biradar has confessed to have handed over the revolver to Balaji Rao alias TIibet. Balaji had emptied the magazine in his attempt to kill another undertial Bettangere Seena. However, Seena received a bullet on his left hand, missing others.

When questioned, Balaji had spilled the names of Beththangere Manja and Shankara, for hatching the plan to eliminate Seena, their cousin, owing to old enmity. Initially Balaji had misled investigators, saying he had received the revolver from Prem. Interestingly, Prem was planted by the conspirators to safeguard Biradar, a professional.

Explaining how the police cracked the role of Biradar, rescuing innocent in the case Prem from going behind bars, the commissioner said, Prem, a student had married the girl with whom he was in love, owing to Manja’s timely help. Though Prem confessed to his role in the first round, he gave contrasting statement during the second round, leading the investigators to smell something fishy.

When quizzed further, Prem broke down to tell the police, the favour he had received from Manja, the reason to help them in the case. Had not the police showed intelligence, Prem would have been framed. Now, his name is dropped and the chargesheet submitted to the court on June 10, has five other names,commissioner clarified.

Biradar who had been arrested in a murder case in Gol Gumbaz Police limits in Bijapur in 2009 had been lodged in Bijapur jail, where he befriended Manja. Manja had arranged for Rs 20,000 helping Biradar walk out on bail. Obviously, Biradar had been asked to return the favour and that was why, he played the role of a courier smuggling revolver into Mysore jail.

With his (Biradar) arrest, the police have arrested the first outsider among total five accused in the case. The remaining three accused- Balaji, Manja and Shankara are undertrials already lodged in different jails. Another accused, who delivered arm and magazine to Biradar is at large.

The commissioner who refused to divulge the name of that accused, said his name is linked with most of the previous such cases and the police are close to nabbing him.