CPI-ML member among five held for Communist leaders murder
PTI
Last Updated:
Hyderabad, Jul 19 (PTI) Five persons, including a member of the CPI-ML Red Flag party, were arrested in connection with the recent murder of a Telangana CPI leader, police said on Saturday.
The main accused, Rajesh alias Rajanna—a member of the party—allegedly conspired with four others to kill Kethavath Chandu Rathod, the police said in a statement.
Rathod was gunned down by the assailants on July 15 at Malakpet here while on his morning walk.
As for the motive, police said Rajesh (48) and Rathod (47) had previously worked together, erecting around 2,000 huts for poor families on the outskirts of Hyderabad, with the promise of eventual land ownership.
Rathod had allegedly collected Rs 1,000 each from 1,300 people, totalling Rs 13 lakh. Disputes reportedly arose between the two over this money.
In addition, Rathod had received Rs 12 lakh from a builder.
Rajesh had allegedly helped Rathod 'threaten the builder" using his 'Maoist connections", but Rathod did not share the money, further straining their relationship.
Police further said Rathod had exposed Rajesh's alleged extramarital affair. Also, Rajesh suspected Rathod of having an illicit relationship with his wife Holding a grudge, Rajesh decided to eliminate him, police said, adding that he allegedly contacted individuals with criminal records from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to carry out the murder, which occurred on July 15.
Technical analysis and fingerprint evidence helped the police identify the suspects.
Two of them were apprehended near Kavali in Andhra Pradesh on July 18. During interrogation, they confessed to the murder and their involvement in several thefts and dacoities in the state.
The main accused and two others were later arrested in the early hours of the day in Telangana's Warangal district. PTI SJR SJR SSK SA
view comments
First Published:
July 19, 2025, 22:00 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Justice delayed… is dignity diminished': Karnataka HC slaps Rs 2 lakh fine on Govt officials over delaying para-swimmer's cash reward
The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed officials of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports to pay an international-level disabled swimmer more than Rs 1.26 lakh as a pending cash award, and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on them. In the order, Justice M Nagaprasanna also directed the department's officers to bear the sum of Rs 2 lakh in litigation expenses personally. The petitioner, Vishwas K S, is a swimmer with multiple medals at the international level who had lost his arms at a young age in an accident. Based on a 2013 Karnataka Government notification granting cash awards to international para-swimmer medalists, he had approached the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports in March 2018 for a cash award of Rs 6 lakh. After failing to receive the full amount despite multiple representations, he approached the High Court. His counsel argued Vishwas had been subjected to inhumane treatment as he was not given his dues as a disabled person, and was entitled to equal treatment. The opposing counsel said he was paid Rs 4.6 lakh, which was the actual amount due, and pointed out that the association he represented had been disqualified from April 2015 to June 2016. The bench observed that although a different notification governing such awards was issued in 2017, the swimmer's events took place during the pendency of the 2013 government notification. Under this, he would be eligible for Rs 4 lakh for two international silver medals, and another Rs 2 lakh for international bronze medals in various events. 'The association's suspension or its subsequent revocation cannot deprive a deserving athlete of his rightful reward… It is the said sportsperson's effort during the sporting event that they would win a medal for the nation or the state, as the case would be, which would entitle them to get such cash rewards….focus must not be on bureaucratic technicalities, but on the living human spirit that triumphed against colossal odds,' the bench said. '…for having driven a disabled person to bear the brunt of litigation, the officers of the State must be mulcted with payment of exemplary costs. The costs are to be imposed as a caution or to serve as a reminder to the officers of the State that justice delayed, especially to those who overcome the gravest of odds like the petitioner, is not only justice denied, but dignity diminished,' the bench added.
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Pune government officer booked after wife says he placed spycams in bedroom, bathroom, threatened to leak clips
A government official and six of his family members were booked by the Pune city police on Monday after his 30-year-old wife, who is also a government employee, alleged that he secretly installed spy cameras in their bedroom and bathroom to record her private moments, and mentally and physically harassed her by threatening to circulate the video. She further accused him of demanding ₹1.5 lakh from her parents. The woman lodged a First Information Report at the Ambegaon police station on Monday, alleging that the harassment by her husband and in-laws has been going on since 2020. The police booked her husband, mother-in-law, three sisters-in-law, and the husbands of two of her sisters-in-law. All were booked under sections 85 (cruelty by a husband or his relatives towards a woman), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, among others. The woman has alleged that her husband and in-laws mentally and physically harassed her by demanding Rs 1.5 lakh from her parents towards EMI payments for a car. When the money was not given, she was beaten up, she alleged. 'We have launched an investigation in the case,' an officer from Ambegaon police station said.
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
NGT issues notices to PPCB, dyeing industry CETPs in contempt petitions filed by PAC
In the ongoing legal battle over extreme water pollution in Ludhiana's Buddha Dariya, now infamously known as Buddha Nullah, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Tuesday heard 14 clubbed cases, focusing notably on the legality and functioning of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) operated by Ludhiana's dyeing industry. The dyeing industry has been allegedly dumping untreated waste in the stream. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) informed the bench that a new industry minister, PPCB chairperson, and Member Secretary are now in place, all having intent to resolve the issue. PPCB submitted that it has enlisted IIT Ropar to draft a comprehensive solution and has imposed penalties worth crores on the three CETPs for violating environmental clearance (EC) conditions. Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) submitted an affidavit acknowledging non-compliance by the Punjab Dyers Association and Bahadarke Dyeing Association. The ministry sought two months time to enforce compliance or take action. The Tribunal directed the ministry to consider including affected residents as stakeholders. The petitioner, Public Action Committee (PAC), urged the bench to implement PPCB's own closure orders for the CETPs and accused the Board and industry players of collusion to delay action. PAC also filed three execution applications-cum-contempt petitions for non-compliance with the NGT's December 9, 2024 order. The contempt petitions seek coercive action against PPCB officials and CETP directors for continued discharge of untreated effluent into Buddha Dariya. Taking note, the Tribunal issued notices to PPCB and the CETP special purpose vehicles (SPVs). The contempt charges could lead to penalties of up to Rs 10 crore or imprisonment up to three years or both for willful disobedience of Tribunal orders. The NGT will next haer the petitions on October 7. Speaking outside the court in Delhi, PAC member Kapil Arora said, 'The PPCB, Punjab government and the Centre continue to downplay the crisis. The PAC, with other organizations, will intensify its efforts to hold authorities accountable and end these delaying tactics.' In its affidavit, the MoEF&CC has also said that 'that environmental clearance (EC) is mandatory' for all common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Ludhiana. The MoEF&CC has also served show-cause notices to three CETPs operating without EC and valid consents of the PPCB, recently. Notices were issued to the 15 MLD CETP at Bahadurke, the 40 MLD CETP at Focal Point, and the 50 MLD CETP at Tajpur Road. The notices pointed out multiple serious violations, including illegal discharges into Buddha Nullah, failure to take consents under environmental laws, and not adhering to stipulated safety and environmental norms.
