Police arrest grandson of VC Janardhan Rao for killing his grandfather in Hyderabad

Janardhan Rao’s grandson Keerthi Teja allegedly stabbed him with a knife 73 times after a heated argument over property between them

Hyderabad: The Punjagutta police arrested Keerthi Teja and remanded him for allegedly murdering his grandfather industrialist Velamati Chandrasekhar Janardhan Rao over a property dispute.

Janardhan Rao, (86) the head of the Veljan Group of Companies, was murdered at his residence in Hyderabad on Thursday night.

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“We have collected biological fluids of Keerthi Teja and sent to Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. After getting reports we can confirm, if he was under influence of drugs when he committed the murder,” said ACP Punjagutta, S Mohan Kumar.

Janardhan Rao’s grandson Keerthi Teja allegedly stabbed him with a knife 73 times after a heated argument over property between them.

Janardhan Rao, who hailed from Eluru in Andhra Pradesh, has been living at his residence in Somajiguda here for the last few months. He had recently appointed his eldest daughter’s son, Srikrishna as Director of Veljan Group and transferred shares worth Rs 4 crore to Keerthi Teja, son of his second daughter Sarojini Devi.

Sarojini Devi and her son visited Janardhan Rao’s residence on Thursday to discuss an issue evolving over distribution of the property. There was an argument between Janrdhan Rao and Keethi Teja over the distribution of property. Keerthi Teja, was also upset that he was not made Director of Veljan Group.

“Accusing his grandfather of unfair treatment, Keerthi Teja allegedly took out a knife he had brought with him and stabbed Rao as many as 73 times resulting in his death on the spot,” said the Punjagutta police.

At that time, Sarojini Devi had gone into the kitchen to bring tea and when she returned upon hearing the commotion rushed and tried to intervene. However, Keerthi also allegedly attacked her and she sustained four stab wounds.

The accused also threatened the security guard, who had witnessed the murder, and fled the scene. Panjagutta police registered a case of murder arrested the accused, who recently returned from the US after completing his Master’s degree. The police are conducting investigation.