Rowdy-sheeter murder case: K’taka Police issue lookout notice against BJP MLA

Bengaluru: Karnataka Police on Wednesday continued their hunt for former minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Byrathi Basavaraj in connection with a rowdy-sheeter murder case.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has issued a lookout notice against him.

Reacting to the development, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that legal action would be initiated in the case.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara, while responding to a question on the issuance of a lookout notice against the BJP MLA, said, “We cannot dictate to the CID to probe the matter in a particular manner. The CID will initiate action as per legal provisions.”

Police sources said the lookout notice was issued against Byrathi Basavaraj to prevent him from fleeing the country. The MLA is currently absconding, and the CID has been unable to contact him.

Basavaraj has been missing for the past five days, and three special teams have been conducting search operations in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Goa.

Basavaraj has been booked on murder charges and named as the fifth accused in connection with the killing of Shivaprakash alias Biklu Shiva, who was hacked to death outside his residence in July 2025.

The FIR was filed by the victim’s mother, Vijayalaxmi, at the Bharatinagar Police Station in Bengaluru.

MLA Basavaraj, while responding to the alleged charges, had said that he had no connection with the case.

He represents the K.R. Puram Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.

He was once a close aide of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah before joining the BJP.

The Special Court for MLAs and MPs in Bengaluru, on Tuesday, dismissed the bail petition filed by Basavaraj in connection with the murder of a rowdy-sheeter, following which the BJP MLA’s arrest has become imminent.

Senior counsel Ashok Naik, appearing for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted in the Special court for MLAs/MPs that despite being aware of the Karnataka High Court’s order, the accused MLA had been absconding since December 18.

“The accused persons, including MLA Basavaraj, conspired and carried out the murder. Primary accused, Jagadish, was in contact with MLA Byrathi Basavaraj. Records have been submitted to show that the prime accused and MLA Basavaraj had travelled together to the Kumbh Mela. MLA Basavaraj had a dispute with the deceased over the temple land. Byrathi Basavaraj is involved in the real estate business, but is not visibly active,” Naik said.

He added that the MLA’s close aides were involved in the land dispute with the victim.

“The primary accused allegedly informed MLA Basavaraj about the murder incident and then fled abroad, which has been established through the tower location data,” he said.

Opposing the CID’s arguments, counsel for MLA Byrathi Basavaraj submitted that five months and 10 days had passed since the incident.

“The investigating agency remained silent for five months and is now seeking custodial interrogation,” he said.

He added that a charge sheet had already been filed against 18 accused persons, of whom seven to eight were strangers directly involved in the murder, yet MLA Basavaraj had been named as the fifth accused.

He also said that after the case was transferred to the CID, no summons was issued to MLA Basavaraj.

IANS