KOLAR, 2 AUG

Kaviraj, a noted criminal associate of underworld dons Muthappa Rai and Ravi Poojari, has been arrested by Kolar Cyber Crimes, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police in Noida.  Kaviraj was wanted in 14 different cases, including murder, assault, extortion, and kidnapping.   

Notably, Kaviraj was also in the 2020 abduction case of former minister Varthur R Prakash from Kolar. A native of the Nepal border region, Kaviraj has been evading arrest and has been on the run for the past two and a half years. 

Kolar Superintendent of Police, while reviewing the old cases, found that Varthur Prakash’s abduction case had not made much headway.  He directed the CEN Inspector Jagadish to take up the case as a challenge.  

Jagadish found that Kaviraj had been changing the mobile phones often and often and has been moving frequently. With a police team including Constables Ambarish, Murali and Santosh, Jagadish began using technical evidence and advanced technology to trace him.

They searched for over a month in various places, including New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but could not trace him.  

However, they then found he was using an internet dongle.  He had used the dongle some six years back, and then recently used it to search his memories to find some photos and other materials. 

This allowed the police team to trace Kaviraj and then apprehend him in Noida on 31 July. 

After an interrogation, he was produced before a Magistrate and was sent to Judicial custody.