Main accused in journalist Mukesh Chandrakar's murder arrested in Hyderabad
Suresh Chandrakar, a contractor and the alleged mastermind behind the crime, was arrested on Sunday, Bastar Police confirmed
 "Main accused in journalist Mukesh Chandrakar's murder arrested in Hyderabad")
Suresh Chandrakar, the main suspect in the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, has been apprehended by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Hyderabad. The arrest, which occurred late Sunday night, was confirmed by a police official on Monday.
Suresh Chandrakar, a contractor by profession, had been on the run since January 3, when the murder of Mukesh Chandrakar came to light.
According to the police, Suresh had been hiding at his driver's residence in Hyderabad. Authorities tracked him down by reviewing footage from 200 CCTV cameras and tracing nearly 300 mobile numbers. He is currently being interrogated, officials confirmed.
The investigation has already led to the arrests of Suresh’s brothers, Ritesh and Dinesh Chandrakar, as well as Mahendra Ramteke, a supervisor connected to the case.
In addition, Chandrakar's wife has been taken into custody in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district and is also being interrogated.
Mukesh Chandrakar murder case
Mukesh Chandrakar, a 33-year-old freelance journalist, was reported missing on January 1. His body was discovered on January 3 in a septic tank on a property owned by Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara Basti, Bijapur.
A potential motive for the murder is linked to a news report aired by NDTV on December 25, which exposed alleged corruption in a road construction project in Bijapur. The project was reportedly associated with Suresh Chandrakar. The independent journalist was last seen leaving his home in Bijapur's Pujari Para on New Year's Day. After failing to return, his brother, Yukesh, filed a missing persons report the following day.
Following the investigation, police located the journalist's body in Chhatan Para Basti, close to his residence.
The case has also sparked political controversy. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma alleged that Suresh Chandrakar was affiliated with the Congress party. However, the Opposition claims that the accused recently joined the ruling BJP.
(With agency inputs)