Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Police on Wednesday transferred the murder case of Florida-based NRI businessman Chigurupati Jayaram to Telangana.
This was announced by Director General of Andhra Pradesh Police R.P. Thakur. The decision was taken after the police took legal opinion as Jayaram was murdered in Hyderabad but his body was dumped in Andhra Pradesh.
The move came hours after Jayaram's wife Padmashri lodged a complaint with Jubilee Hills police station in Hyderabad, demanding that they investigate the case as Jayaram was murdered in the city.
The case was transferred to Telangana a day after the Andhra Pradesh Police presented the two accused before media persons.
Rakesh Reddy, a realtor and the main accused, and his driver Srinivas were presented in a court on Wednesday in Nandigama in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. The court sent them to judicial custody for 14 days.
The body of Jayaram, 55, who was director of Coastal Bank, was found on the back seat of his car off the national highway near Nandiagama close to Vijayawada on January 31.
The Andhra Pradesh Police said Jayaram was killed over a monetary dispute. It said Reddy murdered Jayaram as the latter had failed to repay a Rs 4 crore loan.
Jayaram, also a Managing Director of Express TV, a now defunct Telugu channel, had come to Hyderabad from the US a few days earlier.
Reddy called him to a house in Jubliee Hills and killed him. He later shifted the body to Jayaram's car and took it to Krishna district and left it in a field adjoining the national highway to make it appear like an accident.
Before shifting the body, Rakesh Reddy spoke to two police officials of Hyderabad over phone.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Malla Reddy and Circle Inspector Srinivasulu were transferred after their names cropped up during the investigations.
Jayaram's wife has also demanded a probe against his niece Shikha Chowdary, who was allegedly into a relationship with Rakesh Reddy.
Jayaram's wife said that after the murder, Shikha barged into their house in Jubilee Hills. She alleged that some key documents and valuables were missing.
