Suresh Chandrakar, the main accused in the chilling murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, has been apprehended by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Hyderabad, police confirmed on Monday.
Chandrakar, a contractor by profession, had been on the run since January 3, when Mukesh’s body was discovered in a septic tank at a property owned by the accused in Chattanpara Basti, Bijapur. Mukesh, a 33-year-old freelance journalist, went missing on January 1.
The SIT’s late-night operation on Sunday led to Chandrakar’s arrest, adding to the detentions of his brothers, Ritesh and Dinesh Chandrakar, as well as supervisor Mahendra Ramteke, who were earlier taken into custody.
Mukesh’s murder is speculated to be linked to his recent report exposing alleged corruption in a road construction project in Bijapur. The report, aired on NDTV on December 25, had directly implicated contractor Suresh Chandrakar in the controversy.
Political accusations have further intensified the case. While Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma claimed Chandrakar was affiliated with the Congress, the opposition alleged he recently joined the ruling BJP, fueling a heated political debate over the incident.
The arrest of Suresh Chandrakar is expected to shed light on the motive and circumstances surrounding the journalist’s gruesome murder, as calls for justice continue to echo across the region.
