(Image source from: www.thehindubusinessline.com)
The death mystery of Florida-based Non-Resident Indian Chigurupati Jayaram, have found to be revealed after grilling many people including his relatives.
Andhra Pradesh Krishna District's Superintendent of Police Sarvashresht Tripathi told reporters that realtor Rakesh Reddy, the main accused, and his driver Srinivas murdered Jayaram as the latter had failed to repay a Rs 4 crore loan.
Jayaram, also a Managing Director of Express TV, a now inoperative Telugu channel, had come to Hyderabad from the United States a few days ago. As Reddy was demanding the money, he had blocked his mobile number.
The accused contacted Jayaram on WhatsApp from some other number, using the display picture of a woman and started chatting with him. 'She' asked Jayaram to come unaccompanied to a house in Jubilee Hills.
When the businessman reached there, Reddy and his driver gained control over and inflicted pain on him. The realtor demanded Rs 6 crore including the interest. As Jayaram had only Rs 6 lakh with him, Reddy, in a fit of rage, banged him against a sofa. Jayaram sustained a head injury and died on the spot.
The accused then shifted the body to Jayaram's car and took it to Krishna district and left it in a field adjoining the national highway to make it seem like an accident. Before shifting the body, Rakesh spoke to two police officials of Hyderabad over phone.
Police gathered clues from the CCTV footage from different toll gates on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway.
Reddy, who was driving the car, also stopped at a wine shop at Nandigama to buy liquor. Empty liquor bottles were later found in the car along with Jayaram's body.
Police investigations revealed that Reddy had come into contact with Jayaram after the latter had sought his help to deal with the problem created by lockout in his company on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Rakesh at that time became friends with Jayaram's niece Shikha Chowdary.
The SP said their investigations were continuing to find out if any other person or persons were involved in the murder.
-Sowmya Sangam
