BANGALORE: The city police cracked the murder case of BBMP Corporator S Nataraj and arrested nine persons in this connection.Murugan, one of the accused, who had contested against Nataraj in the last BBMP election, plotted the murder.Police said he contemplated to kill Nataraj as the latter allegedly had planned to kill Murugan.The investigations have also revealed that Murugan had given a supari of `25 lakh (contract) to the assailants to carry out the murder. Murugan, during the interrogation, confessed that former corporator Ashok B Dani had supported him and had given Rs 1.5 lakh for the contract money. At a press conference on Monday, City Police Commissioner B G Jyothi Prakash Mirji said that the accused had no criminal background and the accused had planned the murder well without leaving more clues.“History-sheeters are not involved in the murder. Murugan choose men with no criminal background for the murder as it would not give any clues to the police.The corporator’s murder was planned 8 months ago and the supari killers were following Nataraj’s activities closely for the past 20 days prior to the murder,” the police commissioner said.Unveiling the background of the case, the police said, “Murugan, the owner of Murugan Arts, was defeated by Nataraj in the last BBMP elections. After that, Nataraj had allegedly targeted Murugan and his men. Using his power, Nataraj troubled people who were close to Murugan. This had led to enmity between the duo.” Rajendra, one of Nataraj’s acquaintances, had developed hatred towards Nataraj when he was neglected by the corporator.“Rajendra contacted Murugan and informed him that Nataraj was planning to kill him and had given money to contract killers in Tamil Nadu. Around the same time, Mani and Cable Gopi, both confidants of Murugan, complained about some miscreants who had tried to attack them. Murugan also noticed that some miscreants were following him and trying to attack him. He decided to murder Nataraj for his and his men’s safety,” the police explained. “In his statements, Murugan said that he contacted former corporator Ashok B Dani through Rajendra.He claims that Dani told him that he could not get involved in the murder directly but will support the murder by funding it. However, there is no evidence against him and we are investigating about Dani’s role in the murder” the police added.Murugan, Mani and Rajendra contacted Girish and the latter agreed to execute the murder and demanded Rs 5 lakh as advance.The police have seized the car that was purchased for the crime, weapons and a mobile phone from the accused. The accused were produced before a magistrate and are in police custody for further investigation till October 22.Police are further investigating the case for more details.THE ACCUSED INVOLVED IN THE MURDER 1. Mohan (24) of Koppa, a resident of Kurubarahalli and a car driver by profession 2. Srinivasa alias Seena alias Thikkala (29) of Bagalagunte, a salesman and auto driver by profession 3. Vijaykumar alias Viji (23) of Koppa, a resident of Kurubarahalli and owned the car used for the murder 4. Girish (28) of Tumkur, a resident of Srirampur and car driver 5.Mani (30), a native of Krishnagiri and a resident of Sheshadripuram 6.R Murugan (45) of Sheshadripuram, owner of Murugan Arts 7.Paul Arunagiri alias Rajendra (27) of Gandhinagar, a closeaide of the slain corporator 8.Mahesh (24) of Tumkur, a resident of Srirampur and a car driver 9.Ashoka (29), a native of Mandya The other two accused in the case Naveen and Nagesh are absconding and the police are on a look out for them. Among the accused, Mohan, Seena, Viji, Mahesh, Naveen and Nagesh executed the murder when the corporator was going on Sampige Road in Malleswara on October 1.
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