Bengaluru: The Mandya district police have reportedly taken a person into custody in connection with the suicide of Ramesh Gowda, a car driver of Bangalore Special Land Acquisition officer Bheema Naik for questioning.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that Suresh, a close friend of Ramesh Gowda, was picked up by one of the special teams headed by Inspector Prasad for questioning. Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was allegedly helping the KAS officer in real estate business and currency exchange racket.
It is said that there was a dispute between Naik and Ramesh over Rs 8 lakh and the driver was assaulted over the issue by some people.
The officer was allegedly pestering him to return the money. The cops are planning to make Suresh a prime witness in the case. Meanwhile, Maddur police visited Naik's house and office for investigation.
A notice under Section 160 of Criminial Procedure Code had been served on the officer asking him to appear before the police for inquiry. But the officer did not appear before the police and remained underground.
The police examined bank transactions of Naik, Ramesh Gowda and his relatives to arrive at details of transactions. The teams visited Bengaluru and Ballari district where Naik had worked.
The police are planning to take approval from the court to search Naik's house and office premises, sources said. The police are planning to take approval from the court to search Naik's house and office premises, sources said.
Naik, Mohd, file for bail
Bengaluru Special Land Acquisition officer Bheema Naik, who has been named as an abettor in driver Ramesh Gowda’s suicide note, has applied for bail before a Mandya sessions court.
Mr Naik’s another driver, Mohammed, who too has been named in Ramesh’s suicide note, has also applied for bail, sources said. Both bail applications are coming up for hearing on December 14, sources said.
Give us info on Naik, Mohd: Maddur police
Maddur police, who are probing the case of suicide of Ramesh Gowda, official driver of Bheema Naik, the accused special land acquisition officer, have sent notices to the revenue department and Naik’s residence in Yelahanka. They have also sent notices for Mohammad, the co-accused. The police are still clueless about their whereabouts. The police have told the family members and colleagues of the accused to notify them if they get any information regarding their whereabouts, failing which legal action will be take against them.
The teams are analysing the contents of the death note and are corroborating facts and collecting evidence to establish the abetment angle. In the suicide note, Ramesh Gowda had mentioned about him not being paid salary for three months and the details of his pay slips are being collected as evidence in the case from the office, said an official. The police have also stumbled on a witness named Suresh, a friend of Ramesh. Both were beaten up by Bheema at his office in VV Towers, when the duo went and questioned why Ramesh was being targeted, threatened and harassed repeatedly.
As of now the police are investigating only the suicide abetment angle and not the money laundering offence, said an investigating official and added that they have shared all the information with the ACB. The police and the ACB will collectively decide and seek a legal opinion as to whether money laundering sections will need to be added to the FIR.
