CHENNAI:  A 29-year-old man, who allegedly murdered a businessman along with a temple priest in Selaiyur on Thursday, was arrested on Saturday night and a hunt is on for the absconding priest.
Police said Rajesh (29), a resident of Tambaram, was a close friend of Ranjith, a priest who ran Jai Shakti spiritual centre in Kaspapuram. Preliminary investigations revealed that Ranjith, who wanted to develop his spiritual centre, used Palaniswami, a businessman, for the purpose. 

“Palaniswami  had a strong faith in the priest since his business flourished after he met the priest. The priest had brainwashed him into believing that he would become the richest man in the world if he followed his advice. The businessman visited the priest on Fridays and Sundays to attend midnight pujas, in which the priest made some sacrifices. Ranjith was practising black magic also and had illegally encroached on a place near Selaiyur. A few months ago, residents protested and demanded that police evacuate the priest and people, who tried to usurp the waste land measuring an acre,” said a police officer.
Police said Ranjith Kumar was rearing goats at his house in order to make sacrifices. Palaniswami, who had, at a point, seen through the priest’s games, demanded the money back, which he had given to the priest. This created a faction. 

On Thursday evening, Palaniswami left home telling his wife that he was going to collect money from the priest. Since he did not return, his wife lodged a complaint with Madipakkam police. 
On Friday morning, residents of Selaiyur found a car parked for a long time and informed the police. The police found Palaniswami death in the car. Investigations revealed that Palaniswami was murdered at the spiritual centre of Ranjith and then placed in the car. Police also said that Ranjith was bisexual in nature.
Palaniswami’s car driver Marimuthu, who joined on recommendation of Ranjith, and his friend Somasundaram surrendered before the Saidapet court on Friday. The duo allegedly confessed that they had murdered Palaniswami because he threatened to murder Ranjith.

Later, on Saturday night, the police nabbed the priest’s friend Rajesh from a hideout. Police are inquiring with the man to find out the motive behind the murder and are on the lookout for Ranjith.