Byrathi Basavaraj appears before police again; HC to hear plea to quash FIR next week

BENGALURU: Former minister Byrathi Basavaraj, the fifth accused in the history-sheeter Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shiva murder case, appeared before the Bharathinagar police for questioning for the second time on Wedday.

He has filed a petition in the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR against him. The court had earlier directed him to appear for questioning and adjourned the hearing. The court on Wednesday put off hearing on the petition to next week, according to his lawyer Sandesh Chowta.

Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, many of whom are alleged to be close associates of Byrathi Basavaraj.

The police are questioning him based on information gathered from the other accused. As the main accused, Jagadish, a.k.a. Jagga, is still absconding, it is said that Byarathi Basavaraj is unlikely to be arrested today.

Byrathi Basavaraj had previously appeared before the police on Saturday and was questioned for over three and a half hours. He claimed that he had cooperated with the investigation and maintained that he had no role in the Biklu Shiva murder. He had nothing to do with the murder and did not know anything about it, he clarified.