Wife arrested in Karnataka ex-DGP Om Prakash murder case

Police probing the murder of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash have arrested his wife Pallavi on a complaint by their son Kartikesh who suspected the involvement of his mother and sister in the killing.

On Monday, a police officer said the case has been transferred to the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru (CCB) for further investigation.

"The investigating officer in the case has arrested Pallavi Om Prakash (64)," the officer added. Later, she was produced before a judge, who sent her to judicial custody for 14 days.

When police took Pallavi to the crime scene, she told reporters there that "domestic violence" was the reason behind the extreme step.

The body of the former Karnataka police chief, a 1981 batch IPS officer hailing from Bihar, was found in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storey house in the posh HSR Layout in the city on Sunday.

It is learnt that a heated exchange of words led to Pallavi allegedly throwing chilli powder on Prakash's face, police sources said.

As the former police chief scrambled for relief from the burning sensation caused by chilli powder, Pallavi allegedly stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot, they said.

Sources claimed that after killing her husband, she made a video call to her friend to say, "I have killed the monster." In his complaint, Kartikesh alleged that his mother Pallavi had been threatening to kill his father for the past one week. "Due to these threats, my father went to stay at his sister's house," he said.

"Two days ago, my younger sister Kriti went there and pressured my father to return home. She brought him back against his will," Kartikesh alleged.

He said that on Sunday around 5 pm, when he was at the Karnataka Golf Association in Domlur, his neighbour called him to inform him that his father was found lying downstairs.

"I rushed home and found police officers and people present on the spot. My father was lying in a pool of blood with injuries on his head and body. A broken bottle and a knife were found next to his body. He was then taken to St John's Hospital," he explained.

"My mother Pallavi and my sister Kriti used to fight with my father often. I strongly suspect that they are involved in the murder of my father. I request you to initiate legal action in this case," he said in his complaint to the police.

Sources said the murder was the culmination of frequent run-ins between the couple. It is learnt that a dispute over a piece of property in Karnataka's Dandeli was the focal point of the crime.

A few months ago, Pallavi had approached the HSR Layout police station to lodge a complaint. When the staff there refused, she staged a sit-in in front of the police station, sources claimed.

It has also been learnt that Pallavi was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking medicines.

Meanwhile, the former top police brass was cremated with full state honours in Bengaluru on Monday after the autopsy. Kartikesh performed the last rites.

Speaking to reporters after the cremation, Kartikesh said, "After yesterday's incident, I lodged a complaint. The police are doing their job, and I have full faith in them. I don't want to comment further as the investigation will reveal everything. Let's wait for that." The 68-year-old retired IPS officer was a native of Champaran, Bihar, and held a Master's degree in Geology. Prakash was appointed Director General of Police on March 1, 2015.