Mysore/Mysuru: Just three days after the death of retired Intelligence Bureau (IB) Officer R.N. Kulkarni (82) who was fatally knocked down by a car when he was on his routine evening stroll in Manasagangothri campus at about 5.45 pm on Nov. 4, the City Police have cracked the murder case with the arrest of two persons.
The arrested have been identified as 30-year-old Manu, a resident of Sharadadevinagar in city and 30-year-old Varun Gowda of Kuvempunagar.
Announcing the arrest at a press meet held at his Office here this morning, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta said that the prime accused Manu is the younger son of Madappa, a neighbour of R.N. Kulkarni and another accused is his (Manu) friend Varun Gowda who had helped in committing the crime.
Following the complaint lodged by Kulkarni’s son-in-law Sanjay Angadi at the jurisdictional Jayalakshmipuram Police Station on Nov. 5, accusing his father-in-law’s (Kulkarni) neighbour Madappa of hatching a plot to kill the former IB Officer over a dispute regarding leaving setback space in the construction of the building which was being built by Madappa adjacent to the residence of Kulkarni at Sharadadevinagar, four Police teams were formed to crack the case, the City Top Cop said.
As the Police began investigations based on the complaint, Manu, the younger son of Kulkarni’s neighbour Madappa, was taken into custody on Saturday itself and was subjected to interrogation when he spilled the beans on the involvement of his friend Varun Gowda in committing the crime.
Subsequently, the Police picked up Varun Gowda for questioning and was arrested today after he was found to have provided logistical support to Manu for committing the planned murder, which was done to look like a hit-and-run case, the Commissioner said.
Continuing, Dr. Chandragupta said that the motive of the murder was the ongoing legal dispute between Kulkarni and Madappa over construction of the building.
Manu, who was upset after the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) slapped the final notice asking Madappa to demolish the part of the building which was in violation of building byelaws, sought the help of his friend Varun Gowda, who together hatched a plot to do away with the octogenarian Kulkarni.
Later, Manu, making use of the Honda-make car which was given to him by his another friend Raghu for sale, told Varun Gowda to watch the movements of Kulkarni so that they can plan the murder to perfection.
Accordingly, Varun Gowda watched the movements of Kulkarni on a two-wheeler (a scooter) for a couple of days before they finally plotted the murder by killing Kulkarni to make it look like a hit-and-run case.
On the evening of Nov. 4, Manu followed the instructions of Varun Gowda who stood at a distance on his two-wheeler and drove the car after removing the Registration Number plates on the narrow road that connects the Computer Science block with the Post Office in Manasagangothri campus at about 5.45 pm and fatally knocked down Kulkarni, before speeding away from the spot, the Commissioner said.
Dr. Chandragupta further said that Manu was the lone occupant of the car when he fatally knocked down Kulkarni on Nov. 4.
Manu, an MBA graduate, was into construction business while his accomplice Varun Gowda is an MCA graduate. The prime accused Manu is also an accused in a group clash case registered in Bilikere Police Station a couple of years ago, he added.
Discounting various theories that were doing rounds, the Commissioner clarified that the sole motive for the planned murder is the dispute that the deceased Kulkarni had with his neighbour Madappa over construction of a building adjacent to his house. Maintaining that the investigation is still underway, Dr. Chandragupta said that as of now, no more details can be given until the Police complete the investigation in full.
Lauding the Police teams, who included over 50 officers and personnel, for their swift action and investigation, the Police Commissioner said that he has recommended a cash reward of Rs. 50,000 to the Police teams which cracked the case.
Initially, the case was registered as a hit-and-run case in V.V. Puram Traffic Police Station. But it was handed over to the jurisdictional Jayalakshmipuram Police Station after the Police, who visited the spot and scrutinised the images captured by the CCTV camera installed near the spot, came to the conclusion that it was a planned murder. He also said that the car and the two-wheeler (a scooter) used for the crime have been seized.
N.R. Sub-Division ACP M. Shivashankar and CCB ACP C.K. Ashwathnarayan were present at the press meet.
This post was published on November 8, 2022 6:45 pm