Madikeri: Kodagu district police have successfully solved the murder of Sampath, also known as Shambhu, a wealthy contractor and the prime accused in the 2016 egg-hurling incident targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s car in Madikeri, back when Siddaramaiah was the Opposition Leader.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with the murder: Kiran, his wife Sangeetha and Ganapathi of Kushalnagar, who was also named in the earlier egg-throwing case. Kodagu Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan confirmed that the murder was the result of a blackmail plot.

Background and blackmail angle

Shambhu, who lived near Kakkehole Junction in Somwarpet Taluk, had separated from his wife a few years ago and was residing alone in a rented house in Kushalnagar.

According to the Police, Shambhu had developed relationships with multiple women, allegedly coerced them into physical intimacy, and later used video recordings to blackmail them into continuing the relationships.

In a similar turn of events, Shambhu reportedly gained access to compromising photos and videos of his friend Kiran’s wife, Sangeetha. He allegedly began blackmailing her as well.

In retaliation, Kiran and Sangeetha reportedly attacked Shambhu in public.

A case was filed against them at the Kushalnagar Police Station in 2023. Shambhu was subsequently jailed, later released on bail, and responded by filing an attempted murder case against the couple.

According to the police, Shambhu demanded Rs. 20 lakh from Kiran and Sangeetha to withdraw the case. Although the three had agreed during a reconciliation meeting to drop cases against one another, Shambhu allegedly reneged and continued to blackmail Sangeetha using her photos, while persisting with his extortion demand.

Enraged and desperate, Kiran, Sangeetha and Shambhu’s acquaintance Ganapathi allegedly conspired to kill him. On May 9, Sangeetha reportedly called Shambhu and invited him to her house under the pretext of a meeting. Shambhu borrowed a car from his friend John instead of using his own to avoid being identified.

When Shambhu arrived at Kiran’s residence, he was allegedly attacked and hacked to death with machetes by Kiran and Ganapathi.

Body dumped in forest

After the murder, the trio reportedly placed Shambhu’s body inside the same car he had used and dumped it into a forested gorge near Kallahalli in Sakleshpur Taluk. They then drove a short distance in the car before abandoning it and returning in another vehicle.

A missing person report was filed at Kushalnagar Police Station after Shambhu’s disappearance. On May 10, the abandoned car was found near Kallahalli, and on May 14, his decomposed body was discovered deep in the forested area.

Following an intensive investigation, Kodagu Police arrested Kiran, Sangeetha and Ganapathi. Further inquiry is ongoing.