Kodanad Heist and Murder: Sudhakaran Summoned by CB-CID

Chennai, March 25 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) has summoned V.N. Sudhakaran, the nephew of former AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala and the disowned foster son of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, regarding the notorious Kodanad Estate heist-cum-murder case.

He is required to present himself at the CB-CID office in Coimbatore on March 27.

Sudhakaran’s involvement in the case is linked to his status as a stakeholder in the Kodanad Estate, which was previously a private retreat for Jayalalithaa.

The CB-CID is investigating his potential connections and knowledge related to the case.

Meanwhile, the CB-CID’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has once again reached out to Interpol to trace international phone calls made to the main accused, C. Kanagaraj, who allegedly utilized Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

Special Public Prosecutor Shajahan informed the Nilgiris District Sessions Court that despite multiple requests, Interpol has yet to provide any information.

A new reminder, also involving the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has been dispatched through the court.

During the court session on March 19, main suspects Walayar Manoj and K.V. Sayan were present, and the court postponed the proceedings after reviewing the updates.

To date, 245 individuals have been interrogated by the SIT regarding the case.

Recently, three additional individuals were questioned at the Police Recruit School in Coimbatore. These include Kabeer, the ambulance driver who transported the body of Dinesh Kumar, a 24-year-old computer operator from the estate who died under suspicious circumstances; office staff member Suresh; and local resident Shankar. Their testimonies were recorded on video.

Previously, Special Sub Inspector Mahesh Kumar of the Coimbatore rural police was also interrogated, as he was part of the initial investigation team for the Kodanad case.

The Kodanad Estate heist-cum-murder incident occurred on April 23, 2017, when a group of 11 men, led by Kanagaraj—a former driver at Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence—conspired to rob the estate, suspecting a hidden stash of Rs 200 crore in cash. Arriving in two vehicles, the armed gang reached Gate Number 8 of the estate around 10:30 p.m. They breached the gate and tied up one of the security guards, Krishna Thapa, locking him inside a lorry. Two of the assailants guarded him while the others proceeded to Gate Number 10, where they assaulted and killed the second guard, Om Bahadur.

Breaking into the bungalow through a window with an iron rod, the gang searched three rooms, including Jayalalithaa’s office. However, they found no money. Instead, they escaped with ten wristwatches and a crystal rhino, collectively worth approximately Rs 42,000.

The case became even more complicated following the heist.

Just five days later, the main suspect, Kanagaraj, died in a road accident on the Salem-Chennai highway near Attur. Coincidentally, on the same day, co-accused Sayan from Kerala's Thrissur encountered an accident near Palakkad, which resulted in the death of his wife and daughter, although Sayan survived with injuries.

Adding to the enigma, on July 3, 2017, Dinesh Kumar, the estate’s computer operator, was found dead at his residence in Kotagiri. The police labeled it a suicide, marking it as the fourth mysterious death associated with the case.

As the investigation progresses, the CB-CID continues to delve into the circumstances surrounding the heist, the murder, and the subsequent deaths—drawing widespread public interest and suspicion about the true motives behind the crime.