Bengaluru: FIR filed against BJP MLA Byrati Basavaraj in murder case of rowdy-sheeter Shivaprakash

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India] July 17 (ANI): A FIR has been filed at the Bharathi Nagar Police Station implicating BJP MLA Byrati Basavaraj as the fifth accused (A5) in the murder case of Shivaprakash, also known as Biklu Shiva, a known rowdy-sheeter in Bengaluru's East Division.
The incident occurred near Halasur Lake on Tuesday night, where 40-year-old Shivaprakash was attacked and killed by a group of assailants wielding sharp weapons. The assailants reportedly arrived in a car and launched a brutal assault as Shivaprakash stood outside his residence. He died on the spot.
The FIR was lodged following a complaint by Vijayalakshmi, the mother of Shivakumar--another rowdy-sheeter--who accused Byrati Basavaraj of abetting the crime. Alongside the MLA, four others have also been named in the FIR: Jagadish, Vimal, Kiran, and Anil.
According to Ramesh Banoth, Joint Commissioner of Police (East Division), "Shivaprakash was a known history-sheeter with a criminal record. Based on preliminary findings, a group of individuals in a vehicle carried out the murder."
Authorities have launched a full-fledged investigation into the case. As of now, there has been no official statement from MLA Byrati Basavaraj regarding the accusations.
Further developments are anticipated as the police continue their investigation.
Earlier, in a separate incident, Bengaluru City Police arrested three individuals, including two lecturers, after they were accused of allegedly raping a student and blackmailing the victim with videos.
The accused have been identified as Narendra, Sandeep, and their friend Anup. The victim's parents reported the matter to the Karnataka State Women's Commission, following which a case was registered at the Marathahalli Police Station.
An investigation is currently underway as per the directive of the Commission, officials said. (ANI)