Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 24: All the arrested accused, wife of murdered Bhaskar Shetty, Rajeshwari (48), his son, Navaneeth Shetty (20), astrologer, Nandalike Niranjan Bhat (26), who are the main accused in the case, and Niranjan's father, Srinivas Bhat (56), and car driver, Raghavendra (25), who have been accused of destroying evidence, are being produced in the court here on Wednesday August 24. In all likelihood, the accused may be handed over to criminal investigation department.

Rajeshwari and Navaneeth

Niranjan Bhat

Srinivas Bhat and Raghavendra

Hearing of the application made by the police for permission to match DNA of Bhaskar Shetty by collecting DNA of his mother and brothers is also coming up in the court today.

In the meanwhile, advocate from Mangaluru, Vikram Hegde, has filed bail application on behalf of the two persons held for destruction of evidence. All these things are likely to come up before the court of the additional civil court (senior division) and chief judicial magistrate. Although destruction of evidence is a bailable offence, the public prosecutor will have to convince the court about the need to reject it because of the fact that the case is becoming complicated with each passing day, if the department wants to retain custody of these two accused.

The accused are making widely differing statements, perhaps for misleading the investigators. District president of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Santosh Shetty Panjimar, has demanded for subjceting Rajeshwari's mother to interrogation because of certain controversial statements she had made during her interview to a channel. He also said that he has brought to the notice of CID about a rumour that a police inspector who worked here in the past had played a role in the murder.