Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Aug 13: The police have taken four persons into custody for questioning in the sensational Sharath Madivala murder case, sources said.

RSS worker Sharath Madivala was murdered on the night of July 4 at BC road. Over a month since the incident, the police are yet to make any arrest in the case.

It is now learnt through sources that the police have zeroed-in on four persons, and they are being questioned. The police are on the hunt for the fifth person involved in the case. The official arrests may happen once the absconding person, who is said to be the prime accused, is nabbed.

The police have also denied reports going rife in a section of the media that Sharath's murder was committed by supari (contract) killers hired by someone from Mumbai. According to reports, the Mangaluru city crime branch (CCB) sleuths had been to Mumbai for investigation and have returned. But superintendent of police (SP) Sudheer Kumar Reddy has said that there is no information about the involvement of supari killers. Sources close to the investigation team have also echoed the SP's clarification and said that only locals were involved in the case.

It is also being said that the role of sand mining mafia cannot be ruled out. Sources said that Sharath had on certain occasions raised objections to illegal sand miners in Bantwal and had earned their enmity. The police are also said to be investigating the case from this angle.