Bengaluru realtor murder: KCOCA invoked; BJP MLA named
A Bengaluru real estate dealer, V G Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shivu, was murdered on July 15, 2024, reportedly over a property dispute.
The Karnataka government has now invoked the strict Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act (KCOCA) in the case.
So far, 16 people have been arrested, and eight are believed to be directly involved.
BJP MLA named in FIR
BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj is named as the fifth accused in the FIR for allegedly instigating the murder.
Police say calls from a key accused—Basavaraj's close associate Jagadish (who fled to Dubai)—were traced to Basavaraj's personal assistant just before and after the crime.
The victim's mother alleged in her complaint that Basavaraj and his associates had threatened and instigated the murder, leading to his name being added to the FIR.
While Basavaraj has been questioned twice, he currently can't be arrested due to a High Court order as he tries to get the FIR quashed.
KCOCA allows police more time for custody and tougher bail conditions in this high-profile case, which suggests possible links between politics and organized crime.