Mangaluru : The Mangaluru City Police have arrested a person accused in double murder case that took place at Mudipu in 2003. He was arrested in Mumbai for jumping bail in the murder case. The accused is Vinesh Shetty, 46, a resident of Shirva in Udupi district, who was settling in Mumbai.

Shetty was among those arrested by Konaje police here in connection with the murder of one Venugopal Shetty and his driver Santosh near Mudipu in Dakshina Kannada district. However, after his release on bail in 2005, Shetty reportedly failed to appear for hearing before the trial court. Following this, a Mangaluru court had issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against him then. Later, the Sixth Additional District and Sessions Court here, which was hearing the murder case, issued a fresh NBW against Shetty a few weeks ago.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Konaje police led by police inspector Ashok P traced the location of Shetty in Mumbai and succeeded in arresting him on Saturday. The police team brought him to Mangaluru on Sunday. Police sub-inspector Sukumar, constables Shivprasad, Mahesh and Umesh Rathod were part of the operation.

Police sources told TOI the double murder took place as a result of rivalry. Shetty had believed that Venugopal, a businessman, was behind the murder of Prathvipal Rai that took place in 2002. Rai was a member of Shetty’s gang. Shetty has several cases booked against him in Mumbai too, police added.