9 accused held in Ex-Mayor Ravikumar murder case:Tumkur SP Divya Gopinath
Tumkur, October 15: SP Divya Gopinath said that the police have arrested total nine accused including main accused Sujay Bhargav in the former mayor Ravikumar alias Gadda Ravi murder case in the city.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, the SP said that among the arrested, few of them were in judicial custody and others in police custody. Since 2013, both Ravikumar and Sujay were together. But in recent years, they developed enmity for some issues. It was found in the investigation that Sujay and his team killed Ravikumar for this reason. The police have been collecting more details. As Ravikumar was interfering in the business of Sujay, the latter had planned to kill him, she said.
Through one of his associate Rajesh alias Raji, Sujay had given contract to some rowdy-sheeters from Bengaluru and Mandya to kill Ravikumar. When Ravi was having tea at a stall, the accused got the message and came to the tea stall on a tempo and under the guise of purchasing cigarette, the tempo driver came to the tea stall and threw chilly power on Ravikumar. Later, seven accused who were in the tempo hacked Ravikumar to death. But so far, it was not confirmed who attacked Ravikumar on his head. After the murder, the accused fled the scene with the tempo and left the vehicle at Hanumanthapura cross and from there, they went in a car. The police would also interrogate the person who gave them the car to escape, the SP said.
Main accused Sujay has been facing total nine cases including Jaipura Krishna murder in 2004 and one atrocity case. Two others who were giving information to Sujay about the movement of Ravi were at large and they would be nabbed shortly, she said.
The police have arrested Sujay Bhargav alias Suji of Hanumanthapura, Raghu alias Chaddi of Bidirumale Thota in the city, Rajesh alias Raji of Kundur, Naveen of Devaraya Patna, K.L. Devaraj alias Devu of Kolala, Raghu alias Chiya of Basaveshwar Nagar in Bengaluru, Joman V. George alias George of Parvathi Nagar Laggere in Bengaluru, Jagadeesh B.M. alias Jaggu of Besagarahalli in Mandya, V.N. Mahesh alias Amase of Valagerahalli in Mandya district, she said.
Under the leadership of DySP K.S. Nagaraju, PSIs Raghavendra, Chandrashekar, Radhakrishna, Ramakrishnaiah, Ambareesh, Madhusudhan and Parvathamma led five teams, she said and hailed the efforts of the officers and staff in arresting the accused.
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send the message that “Muslims are being targeted.”
“I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, “People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline.”
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers, and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of Chief Minister’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun.
They were also said to have not actively participated in the campaign.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the CM.
Rejecting allegations of factionalism within the party, Shivakumar said, “We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?”
“All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress,” he added, saying there are no factions within the party and that such claims are media-driven.
Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
“We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together,” he said.
Later, speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said he discussed with Shivakumar the issue of withdrawing Jabbar’s suspension. He said he will also visit New Delhi next week to meet the high command and discuss state developments.
“Jabbar’s suspension was discussed (with Shivakumar). It should be withdrawn. Let’s issue him a notice and allow him to reply. Then let’s send the report to the high command and seek their approval. High command approval is necessary because the instructions came from there. It may take some time,” he said.
Stating that he met the KPCC chief for “damage control,” the minister said, “We have tried to convince him. Sometimes certain decisions happen that need rectification.”
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