Key accused in Suri's murder sent to judicial remand

Hyderabad, Apr 22: Malishetty Bhanu Kiran, the prime accused in the sensational murder of factionist Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri has been sent to judicial remand till May 4, police said today.

Bhanu Kiran, one of the most wanted persons in Andhra Pradesh and a former aide of Suri, was arrested by a CID team from the outskirts of Zaheerabad town in Medak district yesterday, after evading arrest for over 15 months.

Bhanu was produced before the magistrate last night. He was given judicial remand till May 4 and shifted to Cherlapally jail here. Additional Director General S V Ramana Murthy told PTI today that they would tomorrow file a police remand application in a local court seeking an initial one-week custody of Bhanu Kiran as they have to thoroughly examine him in connection with Suri's murder and also confront him with the evidences regarding his involvement in 15 other cases relating to extortion, land grab and cheating across Andhra Pradesh.

Police will also verify Bhanu's statements made during the initial interrogation and teams will be sent to different parts of the country visited by Bhanu when he was on the run, the top CID official added.

Police caught Bhanu when he had come to Zaheerabad to collect money and seized from him a .32 revolver that he allegedly used in Suri's killing at Navodaya colony in Yousufguda area here on January 3 last year besides six live rounds.

A faction leader from Anantapur district in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, Suri was the prime accused in the murder of TDP MLA Paritala Ravi in 2005.

PTI