Kannada Editor Belagere Arrested for Plot to Kill Former Colleague
Bengaluru (N18): Ravi Belagere, editor of Kannada ‘Hi Bangalore’, was arrested by the Crime Branch of police over allegations that he gave ‘supari’ to kill former colleague Sunil Heggaravanahalli.
The police picked up a gunrunner, Tahir Hussain, for questioning four days ago. Tahir led the investigators to Shashidhar, a contract killer.
Shashidhar was arrested from Vijayapura district. He told police that he had taken ‘supari’ from Belagere to kill Sunil three months ago. Based on Shashidhar’s statements, Belagere was arrested.
Police sources said Belagere wanted to get Sunil killed for personal reasons. They said Belgere sent his office boy along to show the killers the house of his former colleague.
He was produced before a magistrate on Friday and has been remanded to custody till December 18.
Belagere was among two editors who was given one year in jail for breach of privilege by the speaker of the Karnataka Assembly. However, he got a stay on from the Karnataka high court.