BENGALURU: The city police on Wednesday arrested one more person in connection with the murder of RSS leader Rudresh. The accused is Hashim Sharif, Bengaluru district president of the Popular Front of India.
Police said four of the assailants who were arrested a week ago gave Sharif’s name. Sharif (41) is a resident of SK Garden in Benson Town and was working with the organisation for the last nine years. He runs a chemical business in JC Nagar.
A senior police officer said, “During interrogation, we learnt that Irfan Pasha was an associate of Sharif and the four were guided by Sharif when the murder plot was hatched. Last Thursday, police arrested Mohammed Sadiq alias Mohammed Mazhar, Mohammed Mujeebullah alias Moula alias Mujeeb, Waseem Ahmed and Irfan Pasha. They are in police custody for interrogation.”
According to police, the men confessed to the crime and said that Sharif had told them to kill Rudresh since he was growing in clout politically and economically in the locality. Rudresh was hacked to death on October 16 and the murder was planned a few days prior to that, police said.
Police sources said that Sharif is the prime conspirator in the case as he guided the four to kill Rudresh. Sharif’s mobile phone was also found in the vicinity of the murder scene.
Sharif was absconding after the incident and had taken shelter in a relative’s house. Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed him when he came to his office. He however tried to escape from the police, who caught him after a chase.