5 secret SIM cards seized from producer

HYDERABAD: The officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) seized nearly five SIM cards which were allegedly used in secret by film producer Singanamala Ramesh to communicate with fugitive Bhanu Kiran, the prime accused in the murder of Maddelacheruvu Suri. CID officials said that they were analysing the details gathered from Ramesh during his questioning in Chennai. “There is every possibility that Ramesh was deliberately using different SIM cards to communicate with Bhanu and his associates since he knew he was already under police surveillance. We are gathering information about all the people Ramesh called using these SIM cards,” a senior CID official said. He also added that the focus behind the questioning of Ramesh was to track the whereabouts of Bhanu Kiran. “Ramesh is presently under judicial custody and was brought to Hyderabad under transit warrant. Tomorrow he will be produced in Nampally criminal court. We also planned to file a petition in the court seeking police custody of Ramesh for further interrogation,” an official said. When Ramesh was questioned by CID officials in Chennai, he denied speaking to Bhanu ever since Suri was murdered. Few days before Suri’s murder, Ramesh had met him during a party, which Bhanu Kiran also attended. “Suri and his associates had a very strong hold over the affairs of Tollywood and virtually institutionalised the mafia culture by giving their service during the recovery of money or threatening financiers not to demand the return of loan s. In exchange for this service, Suri used to take flats or properties,” officials said.  CID sleuths said they had garnered sufficient evidence to prove Ramesh’s involvement in cheating film financier Vyjayanthi Reddy and Ashraf of Shalimar Video Company by not returning their money.