Chikkamagaluru: Praveen Khandya, a local Bajrang Dal leader has been taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department sleuths in connection to suicide case of DySP Kallappa Handibhag. Khandya is also the prime accused in abduction and extortion case of a youth from Chikkamangaluru, which was earlier touted to have been executed by Kallappa himself.

It may be recalled that a gang of 23 gamblers were gambling at a den in Chikkakolale village here in June when PSI raided and arrested 23 persons. One of the 23 persons arrested was Tejas Gowda who later got bail. He was later kidnapped by a gang, taken to Bengaluru and was demanded Rs 10 lakh as ransom. DySP Kallappa was said to be involved in the entire abduction and ransom episode.

When Tejas’s friend had called the particular number, it turned out to be Chikkamagaluru police number and Handibhag had received the call. Soon, Handibhag ended life in Belgaum.

Nataraj, a financier, Abhijeet, Naveen Shetty and Shivu are the other accused in the case.

A team lead by CID superintendent of police, D Rajappa and Director General of Police, Sonia Narang, and Superintendent of police, Heidi Martin are investigating the case.