Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 19: The court here, which has been hearing the case of disappearance and suicide of Padmapriya, wife of the then Udupi MLA, Raghupati Bhat, has ordered COD police to re-investigate role of Atul Rao, accused in the case, relating to some of the complaints filed against him.

Atul Rao had been booked under various sections relating to illicit relationship, abetting of suicde, abduction, fraud, using fake documents etc in the above case. But the COD police had omitted to include allegations relating to illicit relationship, abduction, and abetting suicide when filing charge sheet. Raghupati Bhat had approached the court seeking directions to investigate the case from all these angles. The state high court, after examining the contentions, had ordered the third additional court here to examine Atul Rao's involvement from the angle of these allegations also.

Pradeep Kumar, advocate for the petitioner, informed that judge of the third additional court here, Suneeta, had on Dacember 6 this year, ordered COD to include these aspects in the charge sheet and investigate these complaints before December 26.

Atul Rao, childhood friend of Raghupati Bhat, had later been involved with financial dealings of Bhat and also overseen renovation of Bhat's house. However, after Padmapriya disappeared from her house here all of a sudden, and the role of Atul Rao in the case came to light, relationship between the two friends soured, particularly because Atul had kept his best friend in he dark about the developments leading to the disappearance of Bhat's wife.