‘GODMAN’ ABSCONDING AFTER MURDER

The Kukatpally Housing Board (KPHB) police have not been able to arrest Triloknath (Guruji), the self-styled godman, in connection with the murder of a businessman last month. The Cyberabad police have searched various places in South India to locate and arrest him, but it yielded no result.

Gaddam Vijaybhaskar Reddy,

63-year-old real-estate businessman, went missing from his men’s hostel room on July

20. Subsequently, his nephew who came to see him at the hotel was told that he had “gone out and didn't return”. Both the mobile phones of the businessman were found switched off.

The nephew lodged a complaint on July 24 and sought the help of KPHB police for tracing the missing Reddy. Police obtained CCTV visuals from the hotel premises, in which they found an apparently unconscious Reddy being bundled into a four wheeler. Based on this evidence, the police registered a kidnap case and continued the investigation. “Then emerged hints of a murder and a conspiracy involving Triloknath@ Guruji,” police said.

“We have searched the godman's possible hideouts in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. However he remains at large,” said KPHB police.

Police said they have got leads in the case to confirm that Reddy was murdered. Four suspects have been arrested in this connection so far, including Mallesh and Sudhakar, who were “directly” involved in the murder. The two other arrested were Sravan and Krishnam Raju, who “helped” in the crime.

Reportedly, all the accused were followers of the godman. Shravan, an RMP doctor, allegedly supplied sleeping pills that were mixed in a vegetable Manchurian dish before it was served to Bhaskar Reddy at the hotel, as per information collected by the police.

Police said Vijay Bhaskar Reddy was kidnapped in a filmy way. Mallesh sent his son Karthik to stay in the same hotel where Reddy used to stay in the KPHB. After gaining the confidence of Reddy, Karthik laced his mixed sleeping pills in the vegetable Manchurian dish and served it to the victim. Reddy thus went into an unconscious state. Mallesh and Sudhakar kidnapped and killed him and later took the body to Andhra Pradesh and cremated it, police have found out.

Investigations revealed a financial angle to the murder. “Vijay Bhaskar Reddy had invested huge sums as directed by Triloknath in some business enterprises. After realising that he was cheated, Reddy confronted him. This apparently led to the murder. However we are probing other angles too,” said the police.

POLICE SAID We have searched the godman's possible hideouts in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. However he remains at large.