David D'Souza Murder: Police Invoke KCOCA Against Hemanth Poojary, Aides

Udupi: The Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) has been invoked in the murder of businessman David D'Souza at Mudrangady in Kaup taluk, with the investigation pointing to an alleged organised crime network involving underworld operative Hemanth Poojary and his associates.

The investigation revealed that all the accused in the case had allegedly committed organised crime in association with underworld operative Hemanth Poojary, Anuj Kumar Kamaleshwar Prasad Patel and Kishore Poojary.

Based on a request submitted by the investigating officer through the Udupi Superintendent of Police seeking permission to invoke the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Western Range, Mangaluru, granted approval to investigate the case under the Act against underworld operative Hemanth Poojary, Anuj Kumar Kamaleshwar Prasad Patel and their associates.

Following approval for the application of KCOCA, the police have transferred the case records to the Principal District and Sessions Court and the Special KCOCA Court in Mysuru. All the arrested accused are currently in judicial custody as per court orders.

The Assistant Superintendent of Police of Karkala subdivision has been appointed as the new investigating officer.

David D'Souza, owner of Prince Enterprises, was shot in the head by a pillion rider on a motorcycle in Mudrangady on August 7 around 3.45 pm.

Police have arrested 10 accused in connection with the murder. They include Raju alias Faji alias Subodh alias Raju Hetram Jatav (42), Anmol Rastogi (23), Jiyahul Wajul Sheikh alias Deepak (38), Chirag Poojary (24), Mohammed Irshad (46), Sadananda Devadiga (41), Kishore Rama Poojary (47), Suraj Kumar (31), Lokesh Teja Kothari (42) and Anuj Kumar Kamaleshwar Prasad Patel (36).

While some of the accused are from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar, others are from Yermal, Admar and Yedthare in Udupi district.