IAS officer, son arrested in driver's murder case

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Police today arrested an IAS officer of Telangana and his son in connection with the murder of their driver here last week. Dharavath Venkateswara Rao, Joint Secretary at Agriculture Corporation, and his son Dharavath Venkata Sukruth were arrested in connection with the murder of B Nagaraju, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) A Venkateshwara Rao.

Venkata (19) is a law student. Nagaraju, whose body was found in a gunny bag on Sunday, was the driver of the bureaucrat’s wife. Venkata and Nagaraju were close to each other and often consumed liquor together. On the night of March 17, both of them went to the terrace of a building in Yousufguda area and consumed liquor. The teenager got into a heated argument with Nagaraju after he allegedly touched him inappropriately, the DCP said.

“A scuffle ensued during which Venkata hit the driver on his head with a brick, killing him on the spot. After this Venkata left the place,” he said. In the wee hours of March 18, Venkata went to the terrace and came back with Nagaraju’s mobile phone. “He later threw the mobile phone of Nagaraju and told his father and other family members about the murder. His father suggested that the body be disposed,” said the senior police official.

Venkata went to the terrace and wrapped the decomposed body in a bed-sheet and put it in a gunny bag. He was taking the body near the lift on the fifth floor when his movement aroused the suspicion of residents, who called the police. The teenager managed to escape from the spot, leaving behind the gunny bag. A watchman and a fruit seller saw the IAS officer leaving the building where the crime took place, the DCP said.

Police later recovered the decomposed body. During investigation, police identified the body as that of Nagaraju. Based on CCTV footage, they identified Venkata and detained him yesterday for questioning. Venkata was arrested for murder and his father for trying to destroy evidence and harbouring an offender, he said. The IAS officer fainted in the Jubilee Hills police station due to exhaustion. He was admitted in a hospital, where his condition is now stated to be fine, the DCP said.