Police interrogating NaMo Naresh in undisclosed location?

Mangaluru, Jun 25: Whether police have already nabbed Naresh Shenoy, the prime accused in the murder of 51-year-old RTI activist Vinayak Baliga and interrogating him in an undisclosed location?

Even though police are calling this to be mere rumour, highly placed sources said that the police are delaying to announce the arrest as they get only 24 hours to question before producing him to court if they formally arrest him.

Sources said that Naresh was caught either in Kerala or Goa by Mangaluru police on Thursday or Friday. He had been at large since March 21, the day of the murder.

Incidentally, the police had filed a preliminary charge sheet in the case before the III Judicial Magistrate First Class in Mangaluru on Thursday, listing Naresh as Accused No. 1.

All the remaining six accused have already been arrested by the police and one of them is out on bail. Not revealing the place from where Naresh was secured, highly-placed sources in the police said that they were questioning Naresh in relation to the case.

Shenoy is the founder of Mangaluru unit of Namo Brigdae, later renamed as Yuva Brigade. Hence, he is popularly known as NaMo Naresh.

Vinayak Baliga was hacked to death by three persons near his house in Kodialbail. The police first arrested Vineet Poojary, Nishit Devadiga and Shiva alias Shivaprasad, who allegedly murdered Baliga.

Later police arrested photographer K. Manjunath Shenoy alias Manju Neereshwalya for allegedly helping Naresh in evading arrest. On June 18, police arrested Srikant, a close associate of Naresh, who was accused of hiring services of the three assailants.

The alleged inability of the Mangaluru police to nab the prime accused had led to severe discontent in Mangaluru as well as the State.

Several protests were held by activists led by rationalist Narendra Nayak and also by family members of Vinayak Baliga demanding arrest of Naresh.

They had accused elected representatives of being silent over the inordinate delay in arresting Naresh.

Naresh, who reportedly hoodwinked police by shifting his locations quite often, had filed anticipatory bail applications before the District Sessions Court and the High Court that were rejected. A complaint was filed by Naresh's family members before the Karnataka Human Rights Commission accusing the police of harassment.

Also Read : NaMo Naresh not yet arrested; we will catch him soon: Mangaluru police chief