Bengaluru, March 12 (IANS) BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, jailed in connection with the murder of rowdy sheeter Biklu Shiva, was granted conditional bail by the Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Basavaraj, representing the K.R. Puram Assembly constituency, had been in judicial custody following his arrest in the case that drew widespread attention in Karnataka.

The court directed him to execute a bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties. He has also been ordered not to tamper with evidence, influence witnesses, or leave the court’s jurisdiction without prior permission.

The case created a major political controversy after allegations surfaced linking the MLA to the incident. Basavaraj was arrested after the Karnataka High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea, and the Supreme Court subsequently declined to grant him relief.

He has been named as the fifth accused in the murder of Shivaprakash, alias Biklu Shiva, who was hacked to death outside his residence in Halasuru, Bengaluru, on 15 July last year.

The Bharatinagar police registered an FIR against Basavaraj based on a complaint filed by the victim’s mother. She later claimed she had not named the MLA and was unaware of how his name appeared in the FIR.

Police maintain that subsequent investigations established Basavaraj’s alleged links to the prime accused, rowdy Jagadeesh alias Jagga.

Investigators claim the MLA had direct contact with Jagadeesh and had met the victim on several occasions before the killing.

The BJP has alleged political vendetta, accusing the Congress-led government of targeting Basavaraj.

State BJP president B. Y. Vijayendra visited the MLA’s residence and asserted that Basavaraj had played a key role in strengthening the party after defecting from the Congress.

He further alleged that Basavaraj had been falsely implicated.

–IANS

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