BANGALORE: The city police have successfully solved the sensational murder case of Manojkumar Grandhi, 44, chairman of Vaibhav Group, who went missing on his way to Bangalore International Airport on Tuesday.
Addressing the Media here on Thursday, City Police Commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji said that the victim was strangulated with a nylon thread by his cab driver and two others on February 7. The accused have been identified as K V Ravikumar, 26, a resident of Singasandra; Shivakumar alias Rangappa, 26, a resident of Murugesh Palya; and Krishne Gowda, 28.
Grandhi’s decomposed body was found at Charmudi Ghat in Sakleshpur on Thursday.
Mirji said that Manoj, who landed in the city on February 6, went missing and a missing complaint was lodged at the BIA Police Station on February 7. As Grandhi had to visit various places in the city, he had hired a cab from Car Zone. Grandhi was carrying three leather bags of gold and antique jewels. He was planning to conduct an advertisement campaign for his jewellery business at Mumbai, the police commissioner added.
The deceased had purchased jewels at an exhibition in Palace Grounds on February 6. Upon learning that he was in possession of valuables worth crores, Ravikumar hatched a plot to steal the valuables from Grandhi along with Shivakumar and Krishne Gowda.
Ravikumar dropped the jeweller at a hotel on February 6 and left after telling that he will pick him up at 4 am the next day to drop him off at the BIAL; Grandhi was to catch a flight to Mumbai at 6 am. According to plan, Ravikumar picked up Grandhi on February 7 at 4.15 am, went to a site in Jayanagar before driving to BIAL. The driver, under the guise of attending to a problem, stopped it near the BDA Head Office about 4.45 am. Shivakumar and Krishne Gowda who were waiting in a Toyota Corolla car nearby, barged into the car and threatened Grandhi at knifepoint. The car was taken to Railway Parallel Road, where Grandhi was gagged and stranguled to death. Later, the trio returned to the spot, shifted the corpse to the boot of the Corolla and disposed it off at Charmudi Ghat.
Meanwhile, Ravikumar called up his office informing them that he was on his way to BIAL along with Grandhi. He drove till the entrance of BIAL just to avoid police suspicion. During inquiry Ravikumar panicked and confessed to the crime.
His accomplices were nabbed and the valuables recovered, which police say they are yet to valuate, but estimate it to be worth more than `3 crore.