Two more arrested in realtor murder case involving BJP MLA Basavaraj

Bengaluru, Jul 21 (PTI) Two more people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a rowdy-sheeter-turned-realtor—a case in which BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj has also been named as an accused—police said on Monday.

With the fresh arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in the case now stands at seven.

The suspects have been identified as Arun alias Temu and Naveen, both locals who allegedly played a key role in the murder, police said.

"The accused duo have been arrested and produced before the court, following which we have secured 14 days of police custody," a senior police officer said.

Another suspect, R D Anil, has been taken into custody for questioning. He is alleged to have provided the vehicle used in the commission of the crime, police added.

The K R Puram MLA was questioned on July 19 for over three hours in connection with his alleged involvement in the murder.

According to police, Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shivu (40) was hacked to death in Bharathi Nagar in the city on the night of July 15.

Five others—Jagadish, Kiran, Vimal, Anil, and Fredrick—have already been arrested in the case.

Basavaraj joined the investigation following a Karnataka High Court directive on Friday, which ordered him to appear for questioning on July 19. Police had also issued a notice to that effect.

He has been summoned again for questioning on July 23.

Basavaraj, who has been named as one of the accused in the First Information Report (FIR), has approached the court seeking to quash the FIR, claiming it was filed without merit.

Vijayalakshmi, the mother of the deceased, said she did not name Basavaraj in her initial complaint. She alleged that the "police added his name independently," raising questions about the FIR’s validity.

The prosecution, represented by Special Public Prosecutor B A Belliyappa, argued that Basavaraj may have "influenced the complainant within 24 hours of the murder, possibly to use subsequent court orders for protection." The High Court has granted temporary relief to Basavaraj, restraining the police from arresting him until July 21. PTI AMP SSK