BENGALURU: The police have arrested two people in connection with an alleged hit job on BJP Bommanahalli constituency MLA Satish Reddy. The arrested are Akash and Gagan, both hailing from Holalkere in Chitradurga taluk.
It is said that a Rs 2 crore deal was struck with rowdy Wilson Garden Naga’s gang to eliminate Reddy and the Bommanahalli police are now questioning the arrested persons. The MLA’s personal assistant Harish Babu had lodged a complaint with the police alleging that Rs 2 crore had been paid for the contract killing of the lawmaker.
The Bommanahalli police had initially filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) and, after securing permission from the court, registered a First Information Report (FIR).
Chandru, a resident of Bommanahalli, had apparently called Harish Babu and informed him that his friend Bhyresh had called him to say that a plan was being hatched to kill the MLA. Chandru also told Harish Babu that it was Akash who had informed Bhyresh about the plan.
It was revealed through a photograph that it was Wilson Garden Naga who had taken the ‘supari’ to eliminate Satish Reddy. Naga is apparently in hiding in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy told media persons on Wednesday, “I am not the one to be cowed down by such threats. As long as I’m alive, I’ll work dedicatedly. I haven’t troubled anyone in any manner and I am not going to back down politically”. He also said he will not blame any political party for giving the ‘supari’ against him. “Let there be a fair inquiry and let the names of those behind this come out, only then I will react”, he said.
To a question on whether it was political or business rivalry, he claimed that he was not aware if it was anything other than related to politics. “There was no threat calls, but there are recording of the calls wherein the ‘supari’ was discussed. Perhaps my political growth was not liked by some people, but the police will look into all angles. I am not making any allegations against any individual or political party, let the police investigation bring out the truth”, he said.
Later, speaking to Public TV, he said, “I will not make any individual statements. From the recorded conversations, the police say that some people were against my political growth. I came to know about the plan to eliminate me only yesterday (Tuesday) and I immediately informed the police. I am fully into politics now and I am not running any business, and hence the police too believe this could be politically motivated. Let’s wait till the police conduct their inquiry. I don’t know who Naga is and I have never spoken to him. The investigation will reveal if he has any political links”, he said.
To a question on whether there was any attempt on his life earlier, he denied it but said the police had informed that he had been tailed on a couple of occasions. “I have not sought any security and I don’t need it”, he added.