VISAKHAPATNAM: In a key development in the case of murder of Vizag rowdy-sheeter Gedela Raju, the prime accused, DSP Dasari Ravi Babu surrendered at the Chodavaram police station on Friday.
The murder of Gedela Raju, whose charred body was found near G Bhimavaram in Sabbavaram on October 7, took several interesting turns, bringing to light the nexus of DSP Dasari Ravi Babu and Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Raju, editor of vernacular daily Kshatriya Bheri who allegedly hired nine people to eliminate the rowdy-sheeter.
Of the total 12 accused in the case, the police nabbed nine members of the gang a few days ago, while Srinivasa Raju and his driver Keshav were absconding.
At around 10.30 am on Friday, Ravi Babu, former ACP of Madhurawada who was later transferred as the DSP of APSRTC Vigilance wing, came jogging in casualwear to the Chodavaram police station. To the surprise of the staffers, the absconded officer introduced himself and said he wanted to surrender.
"The DSP was in casual wear. Introducing himself as an accused in the rowdy-sheeter murder case, Ravi Babu told us that he had come to surrender," a police staffer said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Ravi Babu allegedly roped in Gedela Raju to eliminate K Padmalatha, a former MPP member and daughter of the former MLA of Payakaraopeta, with whom he reportedly had had an extra-marital affair.
He allegedly paid Rs 50 lakh to Gedela Raju and promised to pay a like amount after the murder. The woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances after a few days.
With Gedela Raju demanding the promised sum, the DSP allegedly teamed up with his friend Srinivasa Raju to plan the murder of the rowdy-sheeter.
Police sources said the DSP might have taken shelter in Chodavaram for the past two weeks as he earlier had worked there as an SI and CI and had good rapport with many locals.
However, after his surrender on Friday, the DSP pleaded innocence. "I am innocent and can prove this in the court of law," the DSP told the media at the Chodavaram police station.
However, he was silent when the media questioned him why he surrendered at Chodavaram when the murder case was registered at New Port Police Station in Vizag.
"Now that the prime accused (the DSP) has surrendered, we will complete the investigation easily. After a brief interrogation, we will produce him before the court by Saturday evening,” a senior police officer told TNIE.
Sources in the police said the nine-member gang was hired by Srinivasa Raju at Rs 5 lakh for the murder of Gedela Raju and the accused have confessed that DSP Ravi Babu and Srinivasa Raju hatched the murder plan.
Gedela Raju was called by Srinivasa Raju to his newspaper office and when he arrived, the nine-member gang who were already present there, attacked him with weapons behind closed doors. Later, they dumped the body near Sabbavaram and set it afire.
Meanwhile, police higher-ups are reportedly mulling over the suspension of the DSP as he was accused in two murder cases—Gedela Raju and Padmalatha. Two days ago, the parents of Padmalatha told the police that two murder bids were made on their daughter including poisoning.
Even as police officials are saying that Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Raju, editor of vernacular daily Kshatriya Bheri and his driver Keshav were on the run, reliable sources said both were already in police custody. Both are now in the custody of the Task Force police station and police are planning to produce the three remaining accused—DSP Ravi Babu, Srinivasa Raju and Keshav—in court on Saturday, sources added.