Mandya: Superintendent of Police (SP) N. Yathish has ordered suspension of Halagur Circle Inspector D.P. Dhanaraj for allegedly attempting to hush up the murder of a rice pulling racketeer identified as Saleem.

Saleem (40), a native of Kollegal, who was involved in the rice pulling racket, was murdered and Inspector Dhanaraj has been accused of trying to hush up the case. Hence, the SP has ordered his (Inspector) suspension.

Malavalli Town Inspector Sunil Kumar has been given additional charge of Halagur Police Station.

It is accused that Circle Inspector Dhanaraj had demanded Rs. 10 lakh and a new car to leave the name of K.R. Pet former MLA K.B. Chandrashekar’s son Dr. Srikanth from the case.

Though the killers were asked to dump the body of Saleem in his (Dhanaraj) jurisdiction, so that it would be easy for him to close the case, the killers had dumped the body in Malavalli Rural Police jurisdiction.

Malavalli Rural Police, who had registered a case, took up the investigation and were confirmed about the involvement of the Department official in the case.

The matter was brought to the notice of the SP, who ordered suspension of Dhanaraj.