Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)
Udupi, Aug 15: Dreaded underworld element Bannanje Raja was on Saturday August 15 brought to Udupi amidst tight security.
Raja who was arrested in Morocco in February this year, was brought to New Delhi on Friday August 14 and then to Belagavi for investigation into the Ankola shootout case of 2014 in which businessman and BJP leader R N Naik was killed.
As Udupi SP Annamalai is the investigation officer for the Ankola shootout case, Raja was brought to SP's headquarters in Udupi and produced in the town police station. He was then taken to an undisclosed location.
In Belagavi, Bannanje had claimed that he was facing threat to life from Muthappa Rai and underworld don Ravi Poojary.
Officials sources said that Raja has been handed over to the Karnataka police by Morocco for investigation into 16 of the 44 cases against him. Out of these 16, two each are in Malpe and Udupi police stations, and some in Mangaluru, Mysuru and Shimoga.
Raja had been handed over to police custody for 15 days by the Belagavi court. He may be taken into custody by police in other places also where cases are pending against him.
As Raja is said to be suffering from diabetes and some other health issues, he was taken for medical check-up before being produced in the town police station.
Bannanje Raja had left India in 1996, and since then made Dubai his home, from where he used to direct criminal operations in India. Born as Rajendra Kumar, he was known to be a rowdy from the then 'Malpe Gang' and took part in several brawls during his college days. His name entered the criminal world with the murder of Kokkarne Kushala Shetty in 1991. After shifting base to Bengaluru, getting arrested for possession of arms and ammunition, and then flying to Dubai, Bannaje reportedly directed a number of extortion, murder threats, murders etc in India. The first case against him was filed in Malpe police station, after which he was involved in 43 others cases in various parts of Karnataka and outside.