Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district police have nabbed seven person in connection with the brutal murder of Abdul Jaleel Karopadi, 36, vice-president of a gram panchayat in Bantwal taluk.Police top brass maintain that Vicky Shetty, fugitive gangster, is the man behind the murder plan.Political as well personal rivalry led to the murder of Abdul Jaleel in broad daylight on April 20. P Harishekaran, IGP, Western Range and Bhushan Gulabrao Borase, SP, DK, who jointly addressed the press said the arrested are Rajesh Nayak, Narasimha Shetty, Prajwal, Pushparaj, Sachin, Roshan, Satish Rai. Policehave seized two bikes, weapons and a car used for the crime.Police added that the main accused Rajesh Nayak, resident of Karopadi, who runs a pandal shop and Narasimha Shetty, were arrested near Udupi."During interrogation, they spilled the beans about others and also revealed that fugitive Vicky Shetty masterminded the murder as he was not happy with Jaleel becoming vice-president as he was batting for his nephew Dinesh Shetty for the post," said Harishekaran.Dinesh Shetty is the son of Balakrisha Shetty, who is the brother of the fugitive gangster.Police added that in 2015, Dinesh Shetty was hoping for the post of the vice-president but it was given to Abdul Jaleel, who earlier enjoyed the post of panchayat president. Irked by this, Dinesh had complained about this to the fugitive.Later, Vicky Shetty contacted Rajesh Nayak, a rowdy-sheeter, to hatch a plan to kill Jaleel. On his instruction, Rajesh brought several others on board. Vicky Shetty made several VoIP calls to Rajesh to execute the plan. Police added that several persons wanted in this case, are absconding and will be arrested soon.SP said Vicky Shetty and his accomplices also did not like Jaleel's growing popularity in the region. The murderers waited for almost a month to kill Jaleel, who was away for byelection campaign in Nanjangud and Gundlupet.Invoke KCOCA against fugitiveWith strong witness in hand, Dakshina Kannada police are mulling invoking Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), 2000 against Vicky Shetty. Borase said Vicky, a notorious criminal, known for his inclination towards right-wing associations, has been involved in dozens of criminal cases including murder and criminal conspiracy. We know he is operating from foreign soil and we will invoke KCOCA to bring him to India," Borase added.

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