The accused Kailash (32), Ravindranath Gar (25) and Vijay Uttam Kamal (28), who had been lodged in the Central Prison, Puzhal, were brought to Elephant Gate police station and have begun quizzing them. While three more suspects including Kailash’s sister Jayamala remain at large, police expect to get clues about their whereabouts by grilling the trio.

Also, the pistol used to kill Jayamala’s husband Sheetal Kumar, father-in-law Dali Chand H Jain and mother-in-law Pushpa Bhai, is said to have been received from a retired Army officer. “The main accused Kailash had been staying at a hotel on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR) for the last few weeks before the murder,” said an official. He is likely to be taken to the hotel as part of the investigation.

The official said the gang might have brought the pistol to threaten Sheetal’s family as they refused to give alimony beyond Rs 1 crore while Jayamala wanted Rs 5 crore.