In a major breakthrough in the murder of Kerala radio jockey Rajesh, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has arrested a 22-year-old man from Kerala for helping the assailants carry out the crime, as per a report in The New Indian Express.
Yasir Aboobacker hails from Oachira and was working as a software engineer in Bengaluru. He was taken into custody on Saturday night after evidence of his role in the crime was pieced together by investigators.
VS Pradeep Kumar, Kilimanoor CI told NIE that Yasir is a close relative of key accused Salih Bin Jalal alias ‘Alibhai’, who is apparently hiding in Qatar.
“When Salih came to India from Qatar, he had first met Yasir in Bengaluru to chalk out plans to murder Rajesh. It was at the meeting, Salih awarded the contract to the Oachira-based ‘quotation’ team. So Yasir’s involvement in the conspiracy has been clearly established,” the CI said.
The report adds that the getaway car used by the attackers was handed over to Yasir after the incident.
Meanwhile, the remaining culprits who have fled to other states will be arrested soon, the CI said.
In the FIR registered before the Attingal Judicial First Class Magistrate, the SIT has named NRI Abdul Sathar, who allegedly awarded the contract for the ‘hit job’ and Salih Bin Jalal, as the accused.
The Kerala police have requested their counterparts in Doha to extradite the duo to India and have also sought the help of Interpol.
On April 2, the SIT had identified the three killers involved in the murder but had stated that the key accused had fled abroad.
Rajesh, a former radio jockey at an FM station, was hacked to death at his studio at Madavoor on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday after he had performed at a local show near his village.
Police said four men had arrived at the spot in a red car for the "planned murder".