JOIN USThe CID officials on Wednesday arrested Abhiram, a close aide of Khandya Praveen, VHP Shivamogga division convener, in connection with the kidnapping case in Chikkamagaluru that also cost the life of Chikkamagaluru Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Kallappa Handibag. With this, the number of arrested in the case has increased to three.
“The arrested is son a retired CSF soldier’s son from Bengaluru. The CID police had arrested him on Tuesday and he was brought to CID temporary office in Chikkamagaluru under tight security. The officials quizzed him to collect further information,” a source in the Police Department told Deccan Herald. Based on a clue given by Pradeep, another arrested suspect during the interrogation, the investigating agency personnel were able to zero in on Abhiram. The main suspect, Khandya Praveen, is still at large with his associates Naveen Shetty, Ashwin Shetty and Jeeva. The police are looking for the suspects not only in Karnataka, but also outside the state. Abhiram had signed a bail of all those arrested in gambling on June 26, prior to the abduction of Tejas.
He had given a false address to the police and had told the police that he was car driver of Khandya Praveen ad was a resident of Vijayapura. Meanwhile, Khandya Praveen’s wife Reshma (Priya) was quizzed by the police. The CID police who arrested Abhiram in Bengaluru, said that he is studying degree at a college in the city and was known to Naveen Shetty. On the night of June 27 when the gang, led by Shetty, had abducted Tejas. A senior police official Abhiram does not have any criminal record.
“The investigation into his (Abhiram) connection with the other members of the gang which carried out the kidnapping on the directions of Khandya is being probed. Different teams are still on the look out for Khandya and Naveen Shetty who are on the run,” the official said.