Connect with us
Thursday,27-November-2025
Breaking News

Crime

Sasikala’s nephew quizzed in Kodanad heist and murder case

Published

on

In a major development in the Kodanad murder and heist case of April 2017, V.K. Sasikala’s nephew and Managing Director of Jaya news channel Vivek Jayaraman has been quizzed by the Nilgiris police, sources said on Thursday.

The DMK government had reopened the case.

He was questioned on Wednesday by a special police team from 1.40 p.m. till 5 p.m. in presence of his advocate.

This is the first time, a person close to Sasikala’s family is being questioned in the case. Highly placed sources in Nilgiris police told IANS that Vivek Jayaraman was questioned after the manager of Kodanad estate Natarajan during his questioning had said that Vivek was looking after the affairs of the estate since the incident of heist and murder.

Kodanad estate, a 900-acre property in the Nilgiris district, belonged to late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and her aide V.K. Sasikala. This was the summer home of the former Chief Minister.

On April 23, 2017, after the passing away of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala behind the bars at Bengaluru in a disproportionate asset case, robbers barged into the estate bungalow and murdered a security guard Om Bahadhur and grievously injured another, Krishna Thapa.

The prosecution case was that a group of people led by the former driver of Jayalalithaa, C . Kanagaraj, along with 11 other men, entered the bungalow on April 23, 2017 at 10.30 pm and attacked the security guards in which Krishna Thapa was injured and Om Bahadhur killed.

It was alleged that Kanagaraj had told another gang member K.V. Sayan from Kerala that Rs 200 crore was stashed in the estate bungalow but the gang could get only 10 expensive watches and a crystal rhino that was worth Rs 42,000.

Five days after the heist, Kanagaraj who hails from former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s village, died in an accident. The same day, a lorry rammed into the car in which K.V. Sayan and his family were travelling at Palakkad in Kerala killing his wife and daughter while Sayan escaped with minor injuries.

The Computer operator of the estate, Dhinesh Kumar was found hanging at his residence on July 3, 2017 months after the heist and murder at the Kodanad bungalow.

After the DMK government assumed office, the case was reopened and 81 people were quizzed and three accused, Deepu, Santhosh Swami and M.S. Satheeshan had filed a petition before the Madras High Court to question Sasikala in the case.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, had during the run-up to the 2021 Assembly elections publicly stated that the Kodanad estate case would be reopened and the real perpetrators of the crime booked.

The AIADMK had after the case being reopened retorted that the DMK government was trying to settle scores with the party using the Kodanad estate case and was trying to frame former Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami in the case.

Crime

Red Fort blast: Accused Soyab sent to 10-day NIA custody

Published

on

New Delhi, Nov 26: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was granted a 10-day custody of Soyab, the accused in the Delhi terror blast case, who was arrested in Faridabad earlier on Wednesday.

Soyab was presented before the Patiala House Court, which approved his transfer to NIA custody for 10 days.

Additionally, another key accused, Aamir Rashid Ali, had his NIA custody expiring on the same day. He was also presented before the court, which extended his custody by an additional seven days.

The NIA, earlier in the day, arrested Soyab, a resident of Faridabad’s Dhoj, for harbouring terrorist Dr Umar Muhammad, also known as Umar Un Nabi, immediately before the Delhi terror bomb blast.

Soyab is the seventh person to be arrested in connection with the case.

According to the NIA, he not only harboured Umar before the attack but also provided logistical support crucial to the execution of the November 10 car bombing near the Red Fort that killed several people and left many others injured.

Before this arrest, the NIA had taken six of Umar’s close aides into custody as part of ongoing investigations under case number RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI.

The NIA stated that it is actively pursuing multiple leads related to the suicide bombing and has been conducting coordinated searches across several states with the assistance of local police forces. The agency said its objective is to identify and apprehend all members linked to the larger terror network responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, ongoing investigations have revealed chilling details about terrorist Umar’s methods and preparations.

According to interrogation inputs from arrested members of the terror module, Umar maintained what investigators describe as a “mobile workstation” — a large suitcase containing bomb-making tools, chemical compounds and containers. He carried it with him wherever he went.

Umar, a medical professional associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad, reportedly conducted chemical tests in his room on campus before creating the final Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

One of the arrested suspects, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, also affiliated with the same university, confirmed to interrogators that Umar experimented with substances that were later used in the blast.

Continue Reading

Bollywood

252-Crore Drugs Case: Social Media Influencer Orry Appears Before Mumbai Crime Branch’s ANC Ghatkopar Unit

Published

on

Mumbai: In a major development in the ₹252-crore drug trafficking case, social media influencer Orry appeared before the Ghatkopar Unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch today for questioning.

The ANC had issued a second summons to Orry, directing him to join the investigation. Earlier, he was summoned on November 20, but he informed the agency that he would not be available until November 25. Following this, a second summons was issued, requiring him to appear on November 26.

The ANC is expected to record Orry’s statement as part of the ongoing probe into the high-profile drugs syndicate.

Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.

Continue Reading

Crime

Maharashtra: Palghar Police Seize Truck Carrying Illicit Daman-Made Liquor Worth ₹33 Lakh Ahead Of Elections

Published

on

Palghar: With police maintaining a strict watch on illegal liquor smuggling in Palghar district ahead of the elections, the Vikramgad police conducted a major operation and seized a truck transporting illicit Daman-made liquor.

Based on a tip-off, police set up a blockade (nakabandi) on the Vikramgad-Talwada road near the village of Dadade. When officers attempted to stop the truck, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene.

The police confiscated illicit liquor worth approximately ₹11 lakhs from the truck, along with the truck valued at ₹22 lakhs, bringing the total value of seized goods to ₹33 lakhs.

Anticipating an increase in the use of liquor to attract voters during the election season, the police are keeping a strict vigil on smuggling activities. Further investigation is currently underway.

Continue Reading

Trending