 "How murder of man who accused former Telangana CM KCR of corruption has triggered political row")
A man who had moved a court against former Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and others, accusing them of corruption in the Kaleshwaram project, was found murdered in Jayashankar Bhupalpally town of Telangana on Wednesday night, police said.
While the police have ruled out any political angle to the incident, the murder has triggered a political row with the family members of the deceased and the ruling Congress in the state pointing fingers at the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) over the killing.
Here’s all we know about it.
The murder
Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy was stabbed to death by two unidentified persons when he was going on a bike in Jayashankar Bhupalpally town around 7.30 pm on Wednesday (February 19).
The accused, who came on two bikes, hit the 50-year-old’s head with an iron rod and later stabbed him to death.
He died while being shifted to a hospital, a police official said.
A case was registered against five persons based on the complaint by Rajalingamurthy’s wife, N Sarala, a former BRS councillor of Bhupalpally Municipality.
In the complaint, she said the accused persons killed her husband over a land dispute.
However, later she and the family members of the deceased alleged that some leaders associated with the BRS were responsible for Rajalingamurthy’s death. Following the incident, they also protested late on Wednesday night.
Bhupalpally Superintendent of Police Kiran Kare said, according to Deccan Chronicle, “We have identified some suspects based on CCTV footage and collected circumstantial evidence. Special teams have been deployed, and investigations are ongoing.”
The case against KCR
Notably, Rajalingamurthy was stabbed a day before HC was scheduled to hear KCR’s petition challenging the case filed by him.
Rajalingamurthy had earlier filed a private complaint in October 2023 in a court seeking registration of an FIR against KCR , former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, and others for the sinking of some pillars of the Medigadda barrage that is part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project.
He alleged that crores of public money were misappropriated in the project.
When the police refused to register an FIR, he approached a local court and filed a private complaint.
KCR, along with his nephew and former minister T Harish Rao, subsequently approached the Telangana High Court, which in December last year suspended an order passed by the principal district sessions judge in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, allowing a petition against them.
An inquiry commission formed by the current Congress government on the alleged irregularities is expected to submit its report next month.
The alleged threats
Days before his murder, Rajalingamurthy was allegedly threatened and promised Rs 10 lakh to resolve the case, according to his family.
His wife, N Sarala, also claimed that the attack was carried out by the supporters of Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, a former BRS MLA who is close to KCR’s son and the party’s working president, KT Rama Rao.
“KTR’s follower is Venkatramana Reddy. His follower is Haribabu. He got this done (murder). Around 10 days ago, my husband was threatened and offered Rs 10 lakh to withdraw the complaint in the corruption case against KCR,” she told the reporters, according to Deccan Chronicle.
“Reddy got my husband killed in the middle of the road because he filed a case in the Kaleshwaram case, fearing they may lose. I want justice. What will happen to my two children?” she added.
Murthy’s daughter Nithya Nagavelli, a BPharmacy student, also suspected the involvement of Venkatramana Reddy and BRS leaders.
“My father was fighting against the illegal activities of BRS leaders in the district, and they held a grudge against him,” she said.
The family urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to step in and ensure justice.
“My father is gone, but we seek justice and protection from BRS leaders,” Nithya added.
Political slugfest
Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy alleged that BRS had “encouraging murder politics” during its ten-year rule during a news conference on Thursday.
Condemning the murder, the minister claimed the victim was murdered as he questioned BRS “loot” in the Kaleshwaram project. It is Rajalingamurthy’s family members who are saying the BRS leaders, including the former MLA Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, are behind the murder, he claimed.
AICC member Kota Neelima demanded a judicial inquiry to uncover the circumstances surrounding the murder, describing it as the “mysterious killing” of a whistleblower who had exposed “irregularities” in the Kaleshwaram project.
Neelima wrote on X, “Brutal and mysterious murder of a whistleblower who brought to light irregularities in the Rs 1.2 lakh crore Kaleshwaram project. Rajalingamurthy complained against the the then CM #KCR and then Irrigation Minister Harish Rao. I demand a Judicial Probe to reveal the circumstances of this murder and to expose the real culprits. @revanth_anumula @TelanganaCMO @MNatarajanINC @Bmaheshgoud6666.”
Reacting to the allegations, Venkataramana Reddy said the Congress party is levelling charges against him without knowing the facts and that the murder was due to a local land dispute according to the FIR.
He further said it was unfortunate that the ruling party is trying to link the murder with BRS party, KCR, and MLA T Harish Rao.
The BRS leader further alleged that the wife of the deceased has been levelling allegations against him under pressure from some people. He added that he was ready for a probe by any agency, including the CBI.
Additionally, the BRS denied that its party officials had anything to do with the killing. It stated that KTR and Reddy were not identified in Sarala’s complaint or the FIR.
Police statement
In response to the allegations, a senior police official on Thursday told PTI that they are probing the case from all angles.
Asked if they suspect a political angle behind the murder, the official said that based on the investigation so far those who are suspected to have committed the murder are related to the land dispute issue; however, they are also verifying the allegations made by the family members.
“We are investigating the case. We have got few clues. We are probing all angles,” the official said.
With inputs from agencies
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