Kodanadu case: 3 accused in murder of security guard taken back to Kerala

Udhagamandalam: The three accused in the murder of a security guard in Kodanadu estate of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa were on Friday taken back to Kerala after being questioned by police here for the last two days.

Justin Joy, Jamsher Ali and Manoj alias Manoj Sami were arrested from Kerala and brought to Kothagiri for carrying out inquiry with regard to the case and taken into police custody.

After questioning, all three were produced before the Kothagiri Judicial Magistrate C Sridhar, who allowed police from Kerala to take them back to Manjeri and to be lodged in jail there, police said.

Investigation so far has revealed involvement of 11 persons, including Kanagaraj, former driver of Jayalalithaa.

Kanagaraj was killed in a road accident in Salem on April 29 while another key accused Sayan was injured in a mishap in Kerala on the same day.

Sayan was on May 3 questioned by Nilgiris district Superintendent of Police, Murali Rambha at a private hospital in Coimbatore, where he has been under treatment since April 29.

The gang members had planned the dacoity based on Kanakaraj's information that there was a huge amount of cash in the bungalow, police had said.

The Kodanadu estate figures in a disproportionate assets case involving jailed AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala and late Jayalalithaa, among others.