Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 31: Investing officer, Srikant K, has been taking underworld fugitive, Bannanje Raja alias Rajendra Kumar (47), who has been remanded to nine days police custody relating to firing at Airody Jewellery here four years back relating to Hafta, to different spots to weave together incidents connected with the case. In this case, Bannanje Raja alias Rajendra Kumar alias Raja Shetty has been identified as sixth accused out of seven persons named as accused.

Amar Correa, a lawyer hailing from Beltangady taluk and presently based at Bengaluru, had presented arguments on behalf of Bannanje Raja. Senior assistant public prosecutor, Shanthi Bai, had urged the court to hand over Raja to 15 days police custody, but the judge remanded Raja to nine days of police custody.

Speaking to media persons in the court premises, district superintendent of police, Annamalai K, said that the department plans to secure custody of Raja through body warrants relating to other cases like brawls which took place in Manipal and the town in 1991 and 1992, as well as posing death threat to a lawyer in 1996. He revealed that Raja faces several cases in the district, but that only four cases from here can be taken up against him as per an understanding entered into with Morocco. He said the department plans to take up cases in phases.

The investigating officer, Srikant K, had said in his petition filed in the court, that the department needs to collect information on a number of issues including how he secured arms and ammunition illegally, details of calls made by Raja, etc, duly suggesting that 15 days custody would be required to pool together all these information.