Nearly three weeks after ‘whistleblower’ Mahantesh, a Karnataka Administrative Service officer was killed in the city, sparking national outrage, police announced the arrest of four men on Thursday including an accountant in a cooperative society, whom police said had ordered the hit. Police said the accountant had conspired with three of his associates to attack the 48-year old officer, as he feared alleged misappropriation of funds by him in the Sahakarnagar Co-operative Society would be exposed.
The four nabbed by the City Crime Branch (CCB) were identified as Kiran Kumar, the accountant, Ayyappa (24), Murali (29), Shiva (28) of Sampangiramnagar, Police Commissioner Jyothiprakash Mirji told reporters here. Kiran Kumar has confessed to police that he misappropriated Rs 20-25 lakh of the co-operative society’s money. Mr Mirji said, “The three accused followed Mr Mahantesh’s Maruti 800 and first attempted to attack him near Mekhri Circle, and then banged into Mahantesh’s car near Atria hotel. When he stepped out to check the damage, they attacked him with wickets.”