Remanded to judicial custody

Mysore/Mysuru: A day after Anand, a realtor was murdered in a Service Apartment at Kuvempunagar, his friend, identified as Basavaraj, has surrendered before a Court in city yesterday.

Basavaraj, the prime accused in the murder of Anand, who came to the District and Sessions Court at about 3 pm along with his lawyer, surrendered before the Court and has been remanded to judicial custody by the Judge. Following the Judge’s order, City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police took him to the Central Prison and handed him over to the Prison authorities.

Kuvempunagar Inspector Raju, who had registered the case, had launched a hunt to nab the killer and Basavaraj, who feared of being arrested by the Police, appeared before the Court yesterday afternoon along with his lawyer and surrendered before the Judge.

DCP (Law and Order) A.N. Prakash Gowda said that the Police would seek the custody of Basavaraj for further interrogation and would appeal the Court on Monday. A massive hunt was lodged to trace and nab the killers by the Police. But the prime accused has surrendered before the Judge on Saturday, the DCP said.

It may be recalled that the blood stained body of Anand alias Vadda Anand (40), a resident of Janatanagar, who was a realtor, financier and a small-time politician, was found in a Service Apartment at Kuvermpunagar in the wee hours of Mar. 6.

According to preliminary investigation conducted by the Police, Anand celebrated his 40th birthday on Mar. 5 and had organised a party at a function hall at the foot of Chamundi Hill at 7 pm where hundreds of people had dinner along with liquor and non-vegetarian food.

The party continued till 11 pm and later Anand called up the owner of the Service Apartment on Lalithadri Road near Lava Kusha Park in Kuvempunagar and booked a room on the second floor of the apartment. 

Police said that Anand and his six or seven friends (two of them identified as Basavaraju and Srinivas) reached the apartment room at midnight and again began drinking.

The next day morning, his body was found with multiple stabs at the apartment. 

The killer had stabbed with beer bottle and vegetable scraper on Anand’s stomach, back and shoulder.

Row over site and financial feud led to murder?

Financial feud pertaining to a site had led to the murder of Anand, it is learnt.  

Sources said that prime accused Basavaraj, who was the neighbour of deceased Anand at Janatanagar, had purchased an auto and was eking out a living. Basavaraj later had bought four more autos and had given them on rent. 

With the money collected through rents, Basavaraj had opened an office by name Isiri Enterprises in a ‘B Kharab’ land behind Tirumala Temple on Maruthi Tent Road and was conducting chits and packaged water business. As there was vacant space behind his office, Basavaraj had told six of his friends including Anand to invest Rs. 2 lakh each, purchase the vacant space, sell the same for higher price and share the money among themselves. As one of Anand’s aide did not agree to Basavaraj’s proposal, wordy duel ensued between Basavaraj and Anand’s aide, which led to a fight two months ago. 

As Anand did not support Basavaraj and was telling Basavaraj that he would alone purchase the vacant space and build a commercial complex, Basavaraj had plotted to take revenge.

Basavaraj, who was angered over Anand’s idea of buying the property alone and also for interfering in his business, waited for an opportunity and killed Anand on his birthday on Friday night, sources added.