Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada District Police, who are investigating the murder of actor and rowdy Surendra Bantwal, 39, arrested another accused in connection with the case, an associate of fugitive Vikki Shetty, currently in Bengaluru central prison.
Police say they arrested Akashbhavan Sharan, who is an associate of fugitive Vikki Shetty. Sharan had been in Bengaluru Central Prison for two years.
Before taking him into custody, the police arrested Pradeep Kumar alias Pappu, 38, Sayyad Shareef, Vekappa Poojary, 45, Satish Kulal, 39, resident of Amtady and Girish, 28, resident of Bodantila.
Previously, it was believed that the crime had been committed as an act of revenge for a murder. It was suspected that this was in retaliation for the murder of Kishan Hegde which took place in Udupi. The investigation has now brought a sudden turning point to the case. Police said Surendra was hacked to death for demanding money, which he gave Pradeep Kumar to invest in a jewelry store. Surendra was murdered in his apartment in Bantwal Taluk on October 20.
Police said during questioning of the suspects they reversed the role played by Pradeep Kumar, who borrowed money from Surendra for a jewelry business. Of the total amount he borrowed, Pradeep still had to repay around Rs 7 lakh. Pradeep was a close friend of Surendra’s, but the relationship turned sour because he failed to repay the borrowed money on time. Surendra began to harass him to repay the same.
Pradeep, who couldn’t pay back the money, hatched a plot to kill Surendra. To execute the plan, he contacted Akashbhavan Sharan, who was in prison, and paid him around Rs 2 lakh.
District police took Sharan into custody at Bengaluru Central Prison for investigation. They said he had a personal rivalry with Surendra Bantwal. He made Girish and the other defendants believe that they were committing the murder to avenge the murder of Kishan Hegde. Sharan also made arrangements to flee with all the other defendants after the murder. Divyaraj, a resident of Pumpell, helped organize transport and Rajesh, 33, a resident of Belthangady, provided shelter for the defendants. Divyaraj is accused of the murder of Ashraf Kalayi which took place in 2017, and of a close associate of Kishan Hegde.
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