One more held in connection with builder’s murder, hunt on for priest

While Palanisamy’s driver Marimuthu and his friend Somasundaram surrendered at Saidapet court on the same day, Ranjith Kumar, a priest who is suspected to have masterminded the murder, remains at large. The duo had confessed that they had murdered Palaniswami because he threatened to murder Ranjith.

The arrested person has been identified as Rajesh of Tambaram, a close friend of Ranjith Kumar, who runs the Jai Shakti spiritual centre on an encroached land in Agaramthen near Selaiyur.

Palanisamy of Arun Murugan Nagar in Keelkatalai, who was into real estate business, was spiritually inclined, and became close to Ranjith. Police said it was Ranjith who recommended Palanisamy to employ Marimuthu as his driver.

Investigations revealed Palaniswami strongly believed that his business flourished after he met Ranjith. “He often visited the priest on Fridays and Sundays to attend midnight pujas, during which the priest allegedly made some ritual sacrifices, too. A few months ago, the neighbouring residents protested and demanded police personnel to evict the priest and people who tried to usurp into the poramboke land spread across about an acre,” said police.

After the local public began protesting against him, Palanisami asked Ranjith to return the Rs 5 lakh that he had lent to him. On Thursday evening, Palanisamy informed his wife Muthulakshmi that he was going to meet Ranjith to collect his money. When he did not return till midnight, Muthulakshmi initially thought he might be attending some pooja. But when she tried to contact him, his mobile phone was out of coverage area. Growing suspicious, she went to Madipakkam police station to file a complaint, who directed her to Selaiyur station where she filed a complaint at 3 am.

The police suspect that Palanisami was strangled at the spiritual centre and the body was then placed inside the car. Further inquiry is on.