‘Actor was out cold all the way to Anantapur’

Police arrest car driver who had fled to Goa

Actor Hemashree

The police on Friday arrested Satish, the car driver who drove actor Hemashree (33) and her husband, Surendra Babu (52), to Anantapur. A witness to the events leading to the actor’s murder, he had been absconding ever since she was brought dead by Babu to the Baptist Hospital here on October 9.

Police officials said Satish had fled to Goa where he was working before Babu hired him. He worked for Babu for four years but quit 11 months ago.

‘Keep driving’

On the night of October 8, Satish, on his former employer’s request, went to Hemashree’s mother’s residence in Banashankari as he was told to drive the couple to Anantapur.

His statement to the police said Hemashree was not fully conscious when they left for Anantapur around 1 a.m. When he remarked about it, Babu told him to keep driving.

When they reached a resort in Anantapur owned by Babu’s friend around 6 a.m., he reportedly sought the help of a couple of staff to help Hemashree out of the car.

Satish drove back to Bangalore on the morning of October 9, returned the car to Babu’s brother, and went home.

Suspicious staff

Meanwhile in Anantapur, the resort staff grew suspicious about Babu’s behaviour and alerted their employer, Murali, who asked Babu to leave immediately. Babu hired a taxi and, on reaching Bangalore, took Hemashree to the Baptist Hospital around 3.30 p.m., where he was told she was dead.

When the news of her death started flashing on TV late evening, Satish panicked and fled to Goa, where he was traced and taken into custody.

Chloroformed twice

The police said Babu confessed to have administered his wife chloroform — once before they left the city and again while they were en route to Anantapur. He claimed to have been ignorant about its lethal dosage.

Sources said he had wanted to accompany her to a shoot in Hyderabad but she snubbed him.

He apparently thought the chloroform would keep her quiet.

Contrary to previous media reports, the police said the June 2011 marriage to Hemashree was Babu’s first. He is said to have given her Rs. 30 lakh for her trousseau.

However, just before the wedding, Hemashree tried to call it off. She then filed a complaint saying she was forced into the marriage.