Bengaluru: The Kamakshipalya police have arrested nine persons, including a former woman BBMP corporator, for allegedly involving in the murder of BJP activist Chikka Thimme Gowda on November 8 at Gajana Nagar near Sunkadakatte in Bengaluru.
The police have identified the arrested persons as Varamahalakshmi (47), a former BBMP corporator, residing at 595, 2nd Cross, 1st Main, Lakshmana Nagar, Govinde Gowda (58), residing at 595, 2nd Cross, 1st Main, Lakshmana Nagar, Manikanta (24), residing near Kollapuradammana Temple, Sunkadakatte, Harish (24), Hegganahalli Cross, Lakshmana Nagar, Manikanta alias Yogesh (25), 1st Cross, Hoysalanagar, Sunkadakatte, Suresh alias R X Suri (24), 20th Main, 20th Cross, MC Layout, Mathew alias Ajay (19) from Nanjanarasappa Layout, Chandra Layout, Sanaulla alias Sana (18) from Kachohalli, Magadi Road and Yuvaraj alias Yuva (27) from Kengunte, Mallathahalli.
The police have seized mobile phones, weapons and two-wheelers used to commit the crime.
According to the police, Govinda Gowda and Varamahalakshmi are JD(S) activists and the deceased (Chikka Thimme Gowda) had supported Varamahalakshmi during the elections held in 2010 and Varamahalakshmi won the election. However, Chikka Thimme Gowda supported BJP candidate in the elections held in 2015 in which Varamahalakshmi got defeated. It is also believed that Chikka Thimme Gowda supported the adopted son of Govinda Gowda and Varamahalakshmi when he cheated them more than one crore rupees.
The police sources said the accused Govinda Gowda and Varamahalakshmi were worried about their political future and engaged people to murder Chikka Thimme Gowda by agreeing to pay Rs 30 lakh. The police said the accused had confessed to the crime. They confessed of giving Rs 5 lakh to the killers as advance amount and also paid Rs 10 lakh after committing the crime.
