The Karnataka Police have arrested a long-absconding associate of underworld fugitive Kali Yogish, ending an eight-year manhunt. The accused, identified as Srinivas Shetty alias Sheenu (45), a native of Chitrapu village in Mulki taluk, was traced and taken into custody from Mumbai.
Arrest after eight years on the run
According to police officials, Shetty had been evading arrest for nearly eight years in connection with multiple criminal cases, including one under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA). He was accused of working closely with fugitive don Kali Yogish’s network, involved in extortion, assault, and other organised crimes across coastal Karnataka.
The accused had stopped appearing before court after being granted bail, prompting the Mysuru Principal District and Sessions Court to issue a non-bailable warrant. Despite repeated attempts, he remained untraceable for years.
Special police operation in Mumbai
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a special team led by ACP Srikant of Mangaluru North Division, along with personnel from Mulki Police Station, tracked Shetty to Mumbai. The team coordinated with local law enforcement agencies and successfully apprehended him from his hideout.
Police sources confirmed that Shetty had been living under an assumed identity and frequently changed locations to avoid detection. The arrest followed weeks of surveillance and technical tracking by the Mangaluru police.
Connection to underworld fugitive Kali Yogish
Investigations revealed that Shetty was one of the trusted aides of Kali Yogish, a notorious underworld figure from coastal Karnataka who fled abroad several years ago. Yogish has been accused in multiple cases, including murder, extortion, and criminal intimidation.
Police suspect that Shetty continued to facilitate illegal financial transactions and communication for the fugitive’s gang during his years in hiding. His arrest is expected to provide key leads into the network’s remaining members.
Judicial custody and further investigation
After the arrest, Shetty was produced before a local court and has been remanded to judicial custody. The police are likely to seek his custody for further interrogation to uncover his role in other pending cases.
Officials stated that his arrest marks a “significant breakthrough” in cracking down on the remnants of underworld operations in the coastal belt. “This is an important step towards dismantling the network built by fugitive dons,” a senior police officer said.
Crackdown on organised crime in coastal Karnataka
The arrest comes amid a broader police effort to curb underworld activities in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Several close associates of absconding dons have been arrested in recent months under KCOCA provisions.
Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal has instructed all units to intensify their pursuit of such long-absconding offenders and revive pending warrants related to organised crime.
Conclusion
With Shetty’s arrest, the Karnataka Police hope to gain crucial insights into the functioning of Kali Yogish’s network and its current operations. Authorities believe that this could pave the way for further arrests and help dismantle the underworld nexus that once dominated the region’s criminal landscape.