In a significant development in the high-profile murder case of Bengaluru realtor V G Shivaprakash, popularly known as Bikla Shiva, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Crime Investigation Department (CID) has filed a voluminous chargesheet against 18 individuals. The chargesheet, however, notably excludes two key accused: BJP MLA from K R Pura, Byrathi Basavaraj, and former gangster-turned-realtor Ajeeth Kumar.
Massive Chargesheet Filed After High Court's KCOCA Setback
The SIT submitted the chargesheet, a sprawling document spanning 4,236 pages across 13 volumes, before a special court on Monday evening. This move came swiftly after the Karnataka High Court, on Friday, December 19, set aside the police's order invoking the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), 2000 against MLA Basavaraj. The court observed that the procedural norms for applying the anti-organised crime law were not followed in the MLA's case.
The court's decision had critical implications for the investigation timeline. Under the newly applicable Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the police have 90 days to file a chargesheet for murder, as opposed to 180 days permitted under KCOCA. Following the HC order, all 18 accused currently in judicial custody have sought statutory bail, arguing the 90-day limit had expired.
The Elusive MLA and the Murder Plot
While the chargesheet names 18 accused, including gangster Jagadish P alias Jaga—a close associate of the BJP MLA—and the hired gang from Kolar that executed the murder, MLA Byrathi Basavaraj remains at large. The High Court, on the same day it quashed the KCOCA charges, also cancelled the interim protection from arrest previously granted to the legislator. The SIT has launched a search to trace him.
The police theory, as presented in court documents, outlines a murder rooted in a property dispute in the Kithaganur area dating back to February 2025. The conflict allegedly escalated when a claimant contacted an accused, stating that Bikla Shiva had illegally constructed a compound wall. The situation was further inflamed by verbal altercations between Shiva and Jaga's gang, which sought dominance in the region. The murder was allegedly plotted by the Jaga gang as a result.
Bikla Shiva, 44, was shot dead outside his residence near Halasuru Lake on July 15. A day later, five individuals surrendered, claiming involvement. The police's First Information Report (FIR) had named MLA Basavaraj as the fifth accused.
Legal Battles and Future Course of Action
The legal journey of this case has seen several twists. While a special court had upheld the invocation of KCOCA in September, the High Court's recent ruling overturned it for the MLA. The SIT, convinced that the case fits the criteria for KCOCA—given that several accused have histories of serious criminal cases—is now likely to appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court order.
Sources indicate that the chargesheet explicitly states that further investigation against MLA Basavaraj and Ajeeth Kumar is pending. Ajeeth Kumar, arrested in November for allegedly funding and providing logistics for the murder, was later released on a personal bond by a special court.
The special court has scheduled a hearing on the matter for Tuesday. As the legal proceedings advance, the focus intensifies on the SIT's hunt for the absconding MLA and its impending battle in the Supreme Court to bring the stringent organised crime charges back into play.
