JOIN USWhile the top cop refused to divulge details about the arrest, sources said Raja was held at the airport while he was travelling to Malaysia using a fake passport.
Speaking to reporters in Dharwad on Wednesday, Ajai Kumar Singh said: “There are more than eight cases pending in Bangalore against Bannaje Raja. He will therefore be brought back to Bangalore and produced before the court.”
The original name of Bannanje Raja is Rajendra Kumar. He is the son of Sundar Shettigar of Bannanje in Udupi. He was also the agent of Mandavi travels in Udupi.
It is said that Bananje Raja was involved in various fights in Udupi and the first case was registered against him during the college elections in 1989. After the ‘reign’ of rowdy Parkala Devadas Shetty ended in Udupi, Bannanje Raja entered underworld scene by murdering Kokkane Kushala Shetty in 1991. According to police records, he left for Dubai in 1994-95.
On Rai’s footsteps?
A majority of the retired police officers agree that Raja, after amassing wealth aboard, is trying to start afresh with a clean image in his hometown.
After Rai's “success”, Banannje Raja is also reportedly trying to play the same card. “In fact, for Raja it’s much easier, as he is not directly involved in many cases.
In all the three cases pending in Bangalore - JJ Nagar, Upparpet and Banashankari - he is not the main accused. It is a daunting task to prove a criminal conspiracy against a person. So Raja is sure to come out clean, said sources.
In JJ Nagar, an arms case is pending against him. In the Upparpet episode (Durga Travels shoot out case) the complainant is a paan shop vendor while in Sreenivas Raju murder case, the witness have more or less turned hostile.
But in the Mangalore cases, Raja is expected to have a tough time as Gopal B Hosur, IG is heading the range.