New Delhi: The CID unit of Karnataka Police arrested BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, 64, and businessman-advocate A G Ajeeth Kumar, 48, on February 12. They were arrested in connection with the July 15, 2025, murder of a realtor in Bengaluru. A CID probe has now revealed that the duo used extensive ways to conceal their tracks while committing the crime.

What the probe revealed

The CID investigation also found that the BJP MLA from K R Pura in Bengaluru and his aide, the businessman-advocate, who were put in the Bengaluru central prison on February 21 and February 19, respectively, after their police custody, were also the key conspirators in the alleged conspiracy to murder realtor V G Shivaprakash, alias Bikla Shiva, 44, The Indian Express reported.

The probe brought to fore that the MLA and his aide concealed their tracks in the murder plot by using mobile phones of their associates while speaking to each other and with prime gang members for organising and carrying out the murder, as per the legal filings in the case.

How the realtor was killed

The realtor, Bikla Shiva, was hacked to death by eight to nine men outside his house on Meanee Avenue in east Bengaluru around 8.10 pm on July 15 last year. He was killed over an alleged real estate wrangle with close associates of Byrathi Basavaraj.

Recently, Basavaraj and Ajeeth were among those arrested in the murder case. A chargesheet has been filed against 18 individuals who were arrested earlier as the probe was being carried out. This included prime accused Jagadish P, alias Jaga, 45.

BJP MLA is the accused number 5, and Ajeeth Kumar is accused number 20. Jagadish P’s close relative Kiran K is accused number 2. The murder plot was hatched with the help of local gang members and a hired gang from Malur in the neighbouring Kolar district.

What the CID told the court

The CID probe found the MLA had established a virtual hegemony in the K R Pura region by taking control over the real estate business in nexus with the gangs operated by former gangsters Ajeeth Kumar and Jagadish P. The MLA used to communicate with the gang leaders using the mobile phones of three of his personal assistants, the report said.

Last week, the CID told a special court: “The investigation has revealed that the witnesses in the case, the close aides of the accused A-5, Mr Hanumantu, Mr A K Manu and Mr Gangadhar, were in mobile contact with the accused A-1 and A-2 of the case.”

The mobile phones of the MLA and as his PA have been seized. Mobile data, including details of communication during the period of the murder plot and later, is being forensically recovered, sources said. Digital evidence is being retrieved even though the accused tried to conceal their tracks.

The CID used tower location data for mobile phones used by the accused to set up their meetings for the murder plot, even as the BJP MLA was evasive in replies to queries about being in the same place as Jaga, Kiran and Ajeeth on various dates, sources were quoted as saying in the report.

The CID told the court: “During the investigation, it was learned that the accused was supporting accused A-1 and A-20 in their real estate business.” The CID added: “It has been found that A-1 and A-20, who were in contact with the other accused in connection with the murder, were in contact with the accused and were also involved in the murder conspiracy of the deceased Shivaprakash @ Bikla Shiva.”

How the businessman-advocate tried to cover tracks

The CID investigation found that A G Ajeeth Kumar tried to cover his tracks in murder plot by removing CCTV footage of alleged conspiracy meetings held at his office ahead of the murder.

The probe has shown that the businessman failed to provide his accurate details while registering as an advocate. Rather, he used a mobile number of one of his employees for the registration process. Later, the same number was used for communications connected to the Bikla Shiva murder plot in July 2025.

The investigation also found that he used the credit card of an employee for making payments for different purposes, and paid the employee for credit card usage.