Bengaluru, July 16 (IANS) Senior BJP MLA and former Minister Byrathi Basavaraj has been booked on murder charges in connection with the killing of a rowdy sheeter.

The Bharatinagar police in Bengaluru have registered an FIR against the MLA, naming him as the fifth accused in the case.

The complaint was filed by Vijayalaxmi, the mother of the murdered rowdy sheeter, Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shiva. Shivaprakash was hacked to death in front of his residence on Tuesday night.

MLA Byrathi Basavaraj has not yet responded to the development.

According to police sources, Shivaprakash had earlier lodged a complaint against Byrathi Basavaraj, alleging that the MLA’s associates had threatened him in connection with a land dispute. He claimed they were pressuring him to cancel the GPA (General Power of Attorney) and hand over possession of the disputed land to them.

Shivaprakash had reportedly submitted video evidence of the alleged threats made by the MLA’s associates while filing the complaint.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 103 and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against MLA Byrathi Basavaraj and others. Other accused named in the FIR include Jagadish (34), Kiran (33), Vimal (36), and Anil (34). Police stated that more individuals are suspected to be involved and will be added to the FIR as the investigation progresses.

Shivaprakash, a resident of Bharatinagar, was involved in the real estate business. As per the FIR, he had purchased a plot of land in Kitaknur and executed a GPA in his name. He had also deployed two women security guards to safeguard the property. However, on February 11, Jagadish, said to be an associate of MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, allegedly encroached upon the land and forcibly removed the security personnel.

Jagadish is said to have called Shivaprakash and issued life threats, claiming the area belonged to him and demanding that Shivaprakash give away the property. The victim reportedly received continuous threats regarding the land.

Vijayalaxmi stated that her son had approached the police multiple times, expressing concern for his safety and naming Jagadish and others, including MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, in his complaints.

She further said that around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Shivaprakash stepped out of his house when he was ambushed by a group of 8 to 9 assailants armed with swords and other weapons. His friend, Imran Khan, who tried to intervene, was also attacked with a sword. As people began to gather at the scene, the assailants fled in a white car.

The police have launched a detailed investigation into the case.

–IANS

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