VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada police have arrested seven of total 11 people involved in the murder of businessman Karanam Rahul. Those taken into custody include main accused Koganti Satyam and politician Korada Vijay Kumar.
Addressing media here on Friday, police commissioner B. Srinivasulu said accused Korada Vijay Kumar was in the chit fund business along with Chagarla Gayatri and others since 1991. In 2019, Vijay Kumar contested elections as an independent candidate but lost and ran into huge debts. Following this, money lenders started pressuring him to return their amounts.
Vijay Kumar, who was also a partner in Karanam Rahul Zixin Cylinders Private Limited, told Rahul to return his share of amount. As Rahul did not respond, Vijay Kumar approached Koganti Satyam to buy his shares. This issue was brought to the notice of Rahul, but the latter still did not settle the matter.
In the interim, Rahul had taken Rs. 6 crore promising to provide a post-graduate medical seat to Ch. Gayatri’s daughter. But he failed in getting the seat for Gayatri’s daughter.
On August 18, Rahul went in his car to the chit funds office in Sitarampuram for returning Rs. 50 lakh to Gayatri. As previously planned, a few men belonging to Korada Vijay Kumar reached there, manhandled Rahul and took him to Koganti Satyam in a separate car as per their plan.
Koganti Satyam made Rahul sign some documents and asked Vijay Kumar and his men to take Rahul away from there. Vijay Kumar, along with three others, took Rahul to his car and made him sit on the front seat of his car. Subsequently, those sitting in the rear seat strangling Rahul him with a mobile phone charging wire.
Commissioner Srinivasulu said on a complaint given by Rahul's father, a case under sections 302, 323, 201, 212, and 120 (B) read with 34 IPC has been registered.
