Triple murder: Realtor spills beans

Bengaluru
Nov. 4: The mastermind of the ghastly Ramamurthynagar triple murder has been nabbed. S. Ramesh, a 45-year-old realtor, has confessed to the police that he had a relationship with interior designer Rahul Das’s wife Pushpalata and had given the killers a contract to eliminate her husband.
Ramesh told the police that he had befriended Lokesh, who had earlier worked as Das’ driver, and offered him Rs 5 lakh to kill his former employer. Lokesh and two of his associates carried out the crime. A special investigating team probing the case said the killers only intended to kill Das, 45, but a hitch in the execution led to the murder of Pushpalata, 39, and the couple’s eight-year-old daughter Agneesha in their home on October 20.
Lokesh went to Das’ house with his accomplices Mulali and Bhaskar alias Raju. Lokesh told Das that Pushpalata had asked them to come over.
“Das did not expect any foul play because he knew Lokesh well. He called Pushpalata, who was away with their daughter at the time, and informed her that Lokesh had come home,” a police officer said.
The trio smothered Das to death and decided to kill his wife and daughter, too, because Pushpalata knew that Lokesh had been to the house.
The killers murdered Pushpalata and Agneesha when they returned home, then ransacked the house to make it appear that robbery was the motive.
A senior police officer said Ramesh started a relationship with Pushpalata when Das and his family were tenants in his house in Banjara Layout, Banasawadi, between 2001 and 2003.
“When Das found out that they were having an affair, he moved with his family to his own house in Jayanthinagar in 2004,” the officer said. “But Ramesh continued to visit Pushpalata when Das was away from home.”
Deciding to put an end to his wife’s relationship, Das closed his office in Banasawadi and started working from home.
“When Ramesh found it difficult to meet Pushpalata, he decided to kill Das and asked Lokesh to carry out the crime,” the officer added.
Police sources said Ramesh’s wife was frequently invited to Das’ house for family get-togethers. “Das never invited Ramesh home. This irked Ramesh,” a source said.
Ramesh, originally from the state of Tamil Nadu, has two children.