Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, April 22: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted interim relief to Anuradha, the second wife of late underworld don Muthappa Rai, in connection with the recent shootout involving his son Ricky Rai near their farmhouse in Bidadi, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
A bench headed by Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar directed the police not to take any coercive action against Anuradha, who has been named as one of the accused in the attempted murder case.
The order was passed during a hearing on a petition filed by Anuradha seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered against her by the Bidadi police, following a complaint filed by Basavaraj, Ricky's driver.
Senior advocate Venkatesh Arambatti, appearing for Anuradha, argued that she was needlessly implicated and had no involvement in the incident. He informed the court that Anuradha had departed for Europe with her daughter on 14 April, several days before the attack, and that all disputes between her and Ricky had been settled six months ago.
Taking the submissions into consideration, the court granted her interim relief.
The case pertains to a shootout that occurred during the night between April 18 and 19, when Ricky Rai was attacked by unidentified gunmen while travelling in his car. He sustained injuries to his nose and hand but survived the attack.
Police recovered two bullets from separate locations near the farmhouse and are investigating multiple angles, including a possible underworld connection, property disputes, and family feuds.
The FIR names four accused — Rakesh Malli, Anuradha, Nitesh Shetty, and Vaidyanathan — and has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 109, 3(5), and the Arms Act.
Investigators revealed that the first round of firing occurred around 11 pm on Friday, when Ricky and his driver Basavaraj were near the farmhouse. A second round followed nearly two hours later at around 12:50 am, as they were en route to Bengaluru.
Basavaraj reportedly stepped out of the vehicle upon hearing the first gunshot. It is suspected that the attackers aimed for the driver’s seat, possibly believing Ricky was at the wheel, as he is known to drive himself frequently.
Police have begun questioning Munappa Vittal, Ricky's gunman who previously served Muthappa Rai. During the interrogation, Munappa reportedly experienced chest pain and was hospitalised. Authorities are also verifying the credibility of Ricky's version of events, after recovering an empty cartridge and a dummy mobile phone from the scene.
The first accused, Rakesh Malli, appeared at the Bidadi police station on Tuesday along with his lawyer. He was interrogated and provided a statement to the investigating officer.
Ramanagara Superintendent of Police Srinivas Gowda, addressing the media, confirmed that all those named in the complaint would be questioned. “Anyone named by the complainant will be questioned,” he said, noting that a formal notice would be issued to Anuradha summoning her for questioning.
Following the death of Muthappa Rai, deep divisions reportedly emerged within the family, particularly between the children of his first and second wives. According to relatives, a number of individuals continue to harbour resentment towards the family, and several property-related disputes are ongoing.
Police said Muthappa Rai had drafted a will dividing his assets among his two sons, his second wife, his brother’s son, and some workers. Ricky is known to live primarily at the Bidadi farmhouse but also owns a property in Sadashivanagar, one of Bengaluru’s most upscale localities.
Investigators are probing the timing and motive behind Ricky’s return to Bengaluru, examining whether he came to settle any long-standing disputes that may have led to the attack.