Thiruvananthapuram: Swathi Santosh, one of the key conspirators in the murder of former radio jockey ‘Rasikan’ Rajesh was arrested by the special investigation team here on Monday. Swathi Santosh alias Sphadikam was arrested from a hideout at Kottarakkara. The police zeroed in on his location after he had moved from Chennai where he had been hiding since the murder. Santosh, 23, a resident of Kundara, is also wanted in connection with several assault cases.
According to the investigation team, Santosh along with Appunni, another wanted person in the case, had gone to Bengaluru to bring one of the assailants to Thiruvananthapuram. They went to Madavur, identified places, including the recording studio of Rajesh, and hatched the plan to murder Rajesh. He also helped the team of assailants obtain two machetes through one of his friends at Kadappakkara near Kundara. Police have identified the person who has supplied the weapons for murder.
“Santosh was a key person in the conspiracy. Rajesh was sketched with his help, besides he supplied weapons and took the assailants to Madavur and help them plan the murder. He also stayed with the assailants in the house and finalised the plan,” said Kilimanoor CI S V Pradeep Kumar.
After the murder, Santosh took assailants to Bengaluru and from there he moved to Chennai. Police said that the assailants used Santosh’s phone to discuss their plans.
Police had earlier arrested Yaseen, a 23-year-old BTech student, and B Sanu, a private bus conductor, from Kollam in connection with the case. It was at the residence of Sanu the quotation team had ganged up and planned the murder. One of the persons who is directly involved in the murder is also learnt to be in police custody, but his arrest is yet to be confirmed. tnn
