8 held for 'conspiring to kill' Telangana Minister, police suspect BJP leaders' involvement

A Telangana police spokesman said, that three of the accused were picked up from Delhi from the servant's quarters of the residence of senior BJP leader and former Mahabubnagar MP, Jithender Reddy. According to police, Reddy's driver and personal assistant had arranged shelter for the accused in Delhi and Rs 15 crore had been paid to the accused for the murder.

Hyderabad: The Telangana police has claimed to have foiled a “conspiracy to assassinate” Excise and Tourism Minister Srinivas Goud by arresting eight accused in the case.

A Telangana police spokesman said that three of the accused were picked up from Delhi from the servant's quarters of the residence of senior BJP leader and former Mahabubnagar MP Jithender Reddy. According to police, Reddy's driver and personal assistant had arranged shelter for the accused in Delhi and Rs 15 crore had been paid to the accused for the murder.

The details were revealed by Cyberabad Commissioner Stephen Ravindra at a press conference on Wednesday night. Ravindra said that they are investigating the involvement of BJP national vice-president DK Aruna and former MP Jitender reddy's followers in the incident.

The revelation came four days after an assassination attempt was made on two men Farooq and Haider Ali at Suchitra intersection under Pet Bashirabad police station limits in Secunderabad. The two stayed at a lodge at Suchitra on February 23. As they came out to drink tea at 2 pm on February 25, the guards Nagraj, Yadayya and Vishwanath chased after Farooq and Haider Ali with deadly weapons. The two escaped and lodged a complaint with the Petbashirbad police around 5 pm on the same day. The accused were arrested on February 26.

During the interrogation of the accused, it was learnt that Raghavendra Raju, Amarendra Raju, and Madhusudan Raju of Mahabubnagar, along with others, had conspired to assassinate minister Srinivas Goud. Police, who dug deeper into the matter, identified the culprits in Delhi based on technology.

As per police, Raghavendra Raju, Munnuru Ravi and Madhusudan Raju reached Visakhapatnam from Mahabubnagar when they came to know that three of their followers Nagraj, Yadayya and Vishwanath had been arrested by the police. Later, they went to Delhi and were sheltered in Delhi by Jitender Reddy's driver Thapa and personal assistant Raju. They were arrested and brought to Hyderabad.

Police seized a two-round pistol from Raghavendra Raju and a six-round revolver from Munnoor Ravi police said adding the guns were found to have been purchased in Uttar Pradesh.

Plan To Kill Minister

It is learnt that the accused had hatched a plot to assassinate Minister Srinivas Goud with Madhusudan Raju entrusting the responsibility to Nagraj. Nagraj, as per police, met Farooq, who came to the Mahabubnagar Excise Court on November 18 where he offered Farooq Rs 15 crore for killing a minister himself or by anyone else. Farooq shared this matter with his friend Haider Ali. However, Nagraj, Yadayya, and Vishwanath plotted to kill Farooq and Haider after Farooq revealed this matter to Haider which was to be kept secret.

Farooq and Haider Ali took the lodge at Kompally Suchitra and moved there out of fear for their lives. It was in this context that Farooq and Haider Ali appeared at Suchitra and the trio Nagraj, Yadayya, and Vishwanath chased after them with deadly weapons to kill them, police said.

It is learned that Raghavendra Raju, Amarender Raju and Madhusudan Raju had agreed to provide Rs 15 crore in supari for the assassination.

BJP Leaders says..

In separate statements, BJP leaders Jitender Reddy and DK Aruna alleged that the Cyberabad police had filed a “false case against eight members for exposing the wrongdoings and illegal activities of Minister Srinivas Goud”. They said they would approach the High Court in this regard while alleging a “conspiracy by the state government”.