Mangaluru: As the BJP has been trading guns on the Congress over the murder of Deepak Rao, Mangaluru North MLA Mohiuddin Bava has brought an interesting angle into the case.

According to Bava, one of the accused in the murder Pinky Nawaz is a brother of Ladin Ismail, who is a BJP worker and has close ties to a popular businessman associated with the BJP. Ladin’s co-brother Mohammed Ali is also a BJP worker in Kaup.

The MLA suspects the handiwork of some elements in the BJP may have paid off Ladin and Mohammed to incite communal tension in his constituency to gain political mileage.

Bava said he had ensured law and order in his constituency for four years and eight months and suspected that fringe elements may have had a role in the murder of Deepak to tarnish his image.

Meanwhile, Bava has announced Rs 2 lakh to Basheer, who was brutally attacked at Kodikal Cross as he was going home after shutting his fast food outlet late in the evening on Wednesday. According to sources, Basheer has got nothing to do with the murder and was picked for the attack as he is a Muslim. He is fighting for his life at a private hospital in the city.