BENGALURU: In a new revelation in the recent Rajajinagar murder case, an audio recording has emerged suggesting that accused Indushekar (52), a resident of Bashyam Circle, allegedly used the minor boys to conceal the deaths of their parents and mislead the relatives into believing that they were alive and away on a trip.
The accused, a cab driver, had allegedly bludgeoned to death his wife and six members of her family, including a seven-year-old boy, with a grindstone over a span of 15 days. He then dumped the bodies at multiple locations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The audio features a conversation between the deceased Nalini’s relatives and her son Suresh (name changed). When relatives called to enquire about his parents, the boy allegedly told them that his parents were travelling and would return only after three months. He also told them that Puneeth, another child from the family who was killed, was accompanying them.
Indushekar had allegedly kept the mobiles of the victims after murdering them. Whenever relatives tried to contact the deceased, he reportedly answered their calls himself to prevent suspicion.
Sources said after murdering Shivakumar and his wife Divya, the accused also kept their son Puneeth with him and made the boy respond to calls from relatives. Puneeth was subsequently murdered. Similarly, after allegedly killing Shankar and Nalini, Indushekar took their son, Suresh, along and allegedly made him speak to relatives to conceal the murders.
In the newly surfaced audio recording, a relative calls Suresh and requests him to speak to his mother Nalini. The relative tells him that his grandmother, Tungamma, is eagerly waiting to speak to her daughter and requests him to arrange a conversation. However, the boy responds that his parents have gone on a trip and are travelling in a bus. He further says that they would return only after three months.
The boy then tells the relative that he has been called to board the bus and ends the conversation. During the conversation, when the relative asks about Puneeth, the boy says that he is also with them and that everyone is travelling together on the bus. The conversations raised suspicions.
The relatives have reportedly handed over the audio recording to the police. Investigators are now examining its authenticity.
DCP APPOINTED INVESTIGATION OFFICER
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of North Division has been appointed as the Investigation Officer (IO) to probe the case. Confirming the development, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said the investigation has been strengthened with the appointment of the DCP as the IO.
“The police have recovered all seven bodies and are probing several important pieces of evidence in the case. We are writing to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to ensure effective prosecution and to conduct the trial in a fast-track court. The investigating team is now focusing on collecting scientific and circumstantial evidence to establish the motive, identify whether anyone else was involved, and determine the weapons and other tools allegedly used in the crime.
The police are examining all possible angles and gathering the necessary evidence to ensure that a comprehensive chargesheet is filed at the earliest. The motive and the possible involvement of other persons will become clearer as the investigation progresses,” the commissioner added.