Atul taken to Goa for further investigation

Udupi, Jun 25 (UNI) Atul Rao, the prime accused in Padmapriya case, who was remanded in six-day police custody yesterday, was taken to Goa and New Delhi by the investigating team today.

The team, headed by B G Achar, Investigating Officer and Police Inspector of Manipal Police Station, took him to Kumta in the North Kanara region yesterday for investigation. He was taken to Goa today for further investigation.

According to police, Atul had taken Padmapriya to Kumta in his car on June 11 after abandoning her car at Kunjaragiri, about 15 km from here. After reaching Kumta, Atul had asked one of his friends to take his car back to Udupi. He had taken another vehicle to reach Goa along with Padmapriya.

It may be recalled that Padmapriya left her husband's house in Karambally near Udupi on June 11 in her car, saying that she was proceeding to her parent's house in Karnad near Mulky. Her car was found abandoned at Kunjargiri after two days.

A team from Manipal arrested Atul in Mangalore on June 23 on charges of kidnapping and abetment to suicide and produced him before the court here yesterday, which remanded him in six-day police custody and ordered to produce him before the court on or before June 30.

Padmapriya, wife of Udupi BJP MLA K Raghupathy Bhat, was found hanging in an apartment in Dwaraka in New Delhi early last week.

UNI MA AKJ HT1700