BENGALURU: The
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the murder of Gangadhar Chadachan on Friday submitted a preliminary chargesheet to a Vijayapura court. It has named 16 men, including five police officials, as conspirators and executors of the cold-blooded killing.
The 373-page chargesheet submitted to a local court in Indi, Vijayapura district, detailed the names and roles of the 16 accused, including inspector MB Asundi, who’s on the run. Along with statements of around 10 eyewitnesses, the chargesheet has produced a report from the forensic sciences laboratory, which matched the blood samples collected from near Bheema river — where Gangadhar was allegedly hacked to death — with his son’s. The forensic findings confirmed that samples were Gangadhar’s.
Additional director general of police (ADGP), CID, KSR Charan Reddi said the case was challenging as they could not recover Gangadhar’s body. “The killers confessed to have thrown pieces of the body into the river when it was in spate. Hence, recovering it is impossible. However, we have DNA reports from FSL confirming that the blood was Gangadhar’s. We will continue the investigation and file a supplementary chargesheet in future,” he said.
Gangadhar’s brother, Dharmaraj, a history-sheeter, was gunned down by police at his farmhouse near Chadachan in October 2017. Gangadhar went missing the same day. On June 9, 2018, Gangadhar’s mother filed a
habeas corpus petition in the high court, which ordered a probe. A team headed by IGP (northern range) Alok Kumar arrested Talavar and Poojari, who allegedly stabbed Gangadhar to death. The duo said police had handed over Gangadhar to them.
Till date, CID police have arrested 15 persons, including Gangadhar’s rival Mahadev Sahukar, who has been named as accused number one in the chargesheet. Other accused claim Dharmaraj and Gangadhar were killed at Sahukar’s instance.
The chargesheet explains how the assailants cut the body of Gangadhar Chadachan into four pieces and packed it into a gunny bag. “The victim was smothered inside a private vehicle belonging to one of the accused, Hallur. The body was kept near a river between Umarani and Karur villages. Late at night, the assailants placed the body on a rock and chopped it,” the chargesheet said.
Hunt on for fugitive inspector
A special team has been formed to nab fugitive cop MB Asundi. “We have clues that he is hiding in Maharashtra and will nab him soon,” CID sources said.
Probe into brother’s death
CID sources said they have taken up investigation into the alleged fake encounter of Dharmaraj Chadachan. “We are in the process of collecting evidence and documents. The probe will gain pace soon after,” a senior cop said.
(Picture used for representational purpose)
