Mysuru: In a twist to the murder case of Raghavendra of Mahadeshwara Layout, the Police have unearthed a conspiracy that was hatched by his close friend to eliminate Raghavendra.

The Police have discovered that it was a murder that revolved around a girl and a financial dispute. The friend gave ‘Supari’ to his accomplices to kill Raghavendra and cleverly dispose of the body and destroy evidence. Law has finally caught up with the accused and all the five killers including the conspirator have been arrested. Notably all the accused are in their twenties.

MISSING PERSON CASE

Initially it was just a missing person case where the family members of Raghavendra lodged a complaint with Vijayanagar Police. When the family members were at the Police Station to lodge the complaint, one of Raghavendra’s friends was behaving in a suspicious manner. The Police, though had suspicion on that particular person, let him go. Later, he was picked up by the Police and during interrogation, the murder came to light.

The Vijayanagar Police, led by Inspector B.G. Kumar, have now arrested 24-year-old S.M. Rajath, a resident of Loknayaknagar, 29-year-old Venkataramana of MCC Colony in Bannimantap, 25-year-old Venkatesh of MCC Colony in Bannimantap, 24-year-old K. Chandan of Belawadi and 23-year-old Keshava of Amrutheswaranagar in Belawadi.  

MONEY AND WOMAN

The accused had killed Raghavendra near Koorgalli Lake and had buried the body at the graveyard on Jodi Thenginamara Road. Rajath, the chief conspirator, was nursing a grouse against Raghavendra as the latter took money from him and lend it to others at a high rate of interest. Also, Rajath had come to know that Raghavendra was in touch with his (Rajath’s) girlfriend.

Police investigation revealed that many times, Rajath and Raghavendra quarrelled over both issues and Raghavendra spoke lightly about Rajath’s girlfriend and this had enraged Rajath who made up his mind to eliminate Raghavendra. Rajath discussed the plan with Venkatesh, Keshav and Chandan. The plan was to get Raghavendra to a deserted place, kill him and dispose of the body.

PLAN EXECUTION

Accordingly, the plan was communicated to the other accused and the ‘Supari’ was paid by Rajath. The accused decided to execute their plan on Mar.13 and purchased shaving blade. They pasted black stickers on a Maruti Esteem car and hired one more Maruti Swift car, investigation revealed.

Later, Rajath telephoned Raghavendra and told him that there was a deal and if he (Raghavendra) was present during the deal, Rs. 5,000 would be paid. Raghavendra readily agreed and joined Rajath’s friends in the Esteem car at around 8.45 pm. The accused took Raghavendra to Trinethra Circle and Rajath was following them in Swift car.

MURDER, DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE

Investigation revealed that the accused took Raghavendra to Koorgalli Lake and allegedly tied a rope around his neck, strangulating him at around 10.30 pm. They later dumped Raghavendra’s body in the car boot and came to Highway Circle and carried the body inside the Jodi Thenginamara Road graveyard. To make sure that Raghavendra is dead, the accused cut his throat with the shaving blade. They later dumped the dead body in a ditch inside the graveyard, investigation revealed.

To destroy evidence, they removed blood-soaked clothes from Raghavendra’s body and burnt them along with the shaving blade used for the murder on the Lakshmipura-Palahalli Road. They discarded the rope in a nearby shrub and threw the mobile phone into River Cauvery. Raghavendra’s more clothes were thrown into Kapila River.

The Esteem car that was used to transport the body was driven to a service station for washing and the next day, Venkatesh and Venkataramana got an earth mover to the graveyard and poured mud on Raghavendra’s body and levelled the land. Meanwhile, Raghavendra’s family lodged a missing person’s complaint and one of the accused had come to the Police Station along with the family members. The Police found that the accused was acting in a suspicious manner and it was this accused who spilled the beans later in front of the Police.

Based on clues, Keshav, Chandan and Venkatesh, who were preparing to flee to some other State, were arrested on Mar.16 and the next day, Mar.17, Raghavendra’s body was exhumed.