The Kolar police are close to solving the case involving the kidnapping of former Kolar MLA Varthur Prakash and his driver. “We have arrested one of the prime accused and have reason to believe that he masterminded the incident. He happens to be an associate of underworld don Ravi Pujari,” said a senior police officer.
The former MLA and his driver were kidnapped and tortured for three days by an armed gang of eight men while they were returning from a farmhouse on November 25.
After analysing hundreds of clips from CCTV cameras and thousands of call record details, the police zeroed in on four people who were part of the gang. They were allegedly following the instructions of the prime accused, identified as Kaviraj.
According to the police, Kaviraj is believed to be an associate of Ravi Pujari, who was extradited from Senegal and arrested earlier this year. When the police learned of his involvement, they set up a trap using another suspect in the case, Rohith. “We got Rohith to set up a meeting at Hosur on Saturday. Kaviraj arrived at the spot, but sensing danger he tried to escape in his car,” said a police officer. The police chased and caught him after his car got stuck in silt on an unmade road. Kaviraj was brought to Kolar and questioned. “Though the kidnappers demanded random, we suspect that there is another motive besides money,” the officer added.
Seemanth Kumar Singh, Inspector-General of Police, Central range, said, “We suspect it is a bigger racket with many more people involved. The investigation is on to identify and arrest the others.”
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