BJP MLA Accused In Murder Case After Criminal Hacked To Death In Bengaluru

A BJP MLA and former minister has been accused of murder after a man with a criminal record was brutally hacked to death outside his Bengaluru home.

Shivakumar alias Biklu Shiva was attacked right outside his home near Halasuru Lake last night. He was standing outside when five men arrived in a car and attacked him with sharp weapons.

After inflicting fatal injuries, they fled the spot. Joint Commissioner of Police Ramesh Banoth and Deputy Commissioner of Police D Devaraj visited the spot after the incident.

Police have registered a murder case after Shivu's mother, Vijayalakshmi, filed a complaint. The FIR names, among others, Byrathi Basavaraj, BJP MLA from Krishnarajapuram and a former Karnataka minister. It is alleged that Basavaraj abetted the murder.

It has emerged that Shivu wrote to the Bengaluru police commissioner about three months ago, seeking action against the MLA and his aide Jagadish. Shivu alleged that they were trying to capture his real estate properties. He said Jagadish and the MLA's nephew Kiran had been threatening that they would kill him if he did not hand over possession of a property.

Shivu wrote in the letter that Jagadish had several cases against him, but his name was struck off the history sheet due to the MLA's intervention.

"They have also tried to extort money from me by threatening to falsely accuse me of illegal activities in order to create legal troubles that would prevent me from developing or utilizing the land. I have been under constant pressure to sell my property to them at prices far below market value," he wrote in the letter. He also accused the MLA of widespread land grabbing in Bengaluru East by threatening property owners.

"Their activities involve the forcible taking of possession and use of political and illegal means to prevent rightful landowners from accessing or developing their properties. Using their political influence, they have been extracting benefits on sweet ways from local authorities and law enforcement to ignore complaints from landowners like myself, thus enabling their land-grabbing operations. They have also used their influence to pressure government officials, making it difficult for us to seek redress through legal channels," he wrote.

Requesting immediate protection for himself and his family, Shivu wrote that the MLA, Jagadish, Kiran and their associates would be responsible if something happened to him.

"With both my hands folded I am before your good-self requesting you to instruct the jurisdictional Police Inspector to register FIR against Sri. Byrathi Basavaraj, Sri. Sri.Jagdish @ Jagga, Sri. Kiran and their associates/ rowdy/goonda elements for threatening, extortion, land grabbing/ mafia, criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy, among other offenses," he wrote.

According to the police, an FIR had been registered against Jagadish after Shivu's complaint, but a court order paused the case.

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