BENGALURU, 25 APRIL

A dramatic turn has emerged in the case surrounding the alleged armed attack on Ricky Rai, the son of deceased underworld figure Muthappa Rai. The prime suspect, Vittal Monappa, a former gunman for Muthappa and briefly employed by Ricky, has claimed during police interrogation that Ricky shot himself.

Monappa was arrested by Bidadi Police on suspicion of involvement in the shooting incident on 18 April, in which Ricky sustained injuries to his nose and arm while travelling towards Bengaluru late at night. However, his recent confession raises serious questions about the initial narrative of a premeditated attack.

Police sources reveal that Monappa, who has been remanded to 10 days of custody by a Ramanagara court, suggested that the so-called "shootout" may have been fabricated. A bullet retrieved from the scene has been matched through forensic checks to the firearm in Monappa's possession, which has now been sent to a forensic lab for further analysis.

Investigators are also exploring the potential of a property dispute as a motive. It is alleged that Monappa was promised a residential plot by Muthappa Rai before his passing, a promise that Ricky reportedly refused to honour, intensifying the motive for conflict.

Additionally, three individuals named in Ricky’s complaint—Rakesh Malli, Nitesh Shetty, and Anuradha, Muthappa Rai’s second wife—have been interrogated, though no evidence has surfaced against them to date, with Anuradha currently abroad.

While the investigation appears to be shifting towards the possibility of a self-inflicted injury, police maintain that all avenues are still being thoroughly examined.