Special Land Acquisition Officer L. Bhima Nayak, allegedly the owner of properties worth Rs. 100 crore, had spent sleepless nights after he went underground on December 6, and had been searching for a “safe shelter” in Karnataka and Maharashtra, preliminary investigation has revealed.
The senior KAS officer, who was wanted in connection with the suicide of his former driver K.C. Ramesh, finally landed in the police net at his brother-in-law Arunkumar’s residence at NGO Colony in Srinagara of Kalaburagi on Sunday.
The Maddur police also arrested another absconder, driver Mohammed Ali (36), also a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru. Mr. Nayak and Mr. Ali had left Bengaluru soon after learning about Ramesh’s suicide. They visited Tulja Bhavani temple in Tuljapur of Maharashtra, and other places in Karnataka and Maharashtra seeking shelter.
They had been attempting to obtain anticipatory bail from a local court, said a senior police officer.
The two spent most of their time in a car as they could not find a suitable hiding place. The police were monitoring their movement round the clock, he said. Later, the police left Kalaburagi with the accused by road to Mandya, according to N. Shashikumar, SP, Kalaburagi.
According to C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Mandya, the duo will be produced before a jurisdiction court on Monday.
The police have seized a car and mobile phones from them.
CID probe
Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel visited Maddur on Sunday to question another car driver Suresh, who was also allegedly tortured by the duo.
The CID team is gearing up to probe into Mr. Nayak’s financial transactions and disproportionate assets. “We are waiting for the Maddur police to complete the formalities and probe on the suicide aspect after which we take will take the case further,” a senior police officer in Bengaluru said.
CID officials have prepared a list of persons who can give more information on Mr. Nayak’s financial and property details, and will also question his personal staff in office.
