Political, financial angles emerge in Congress leader’s murder probe

Hyderabad: The murder of a local Congress leader, Marelli Anil, at Kulcharam in Medak district is taking complex turns as investigators uncover a trail of financial disputes, high-profile connections, and possible contract killings.

Special teams from Medak police, probing the murder, have found that Anil—who had been reportedly actively involved in financial settlements and loan recovery work over the past two years—had made several enemies in the process. Among the angles being probed is a dispute involving the family of an Andhra Pradesh legislator, with whom Anil is believed to have had a fall-out.

Police revealed that Anil was working on behalf of a Hyderabad-based businessman, assisting in recovering loans disbursed to various individuals. One such high-stakes case involved the grandson of a prominent AP politician, who had borrowed ₹50 lakh from the businessman.

“Anil managed to recover ₹39 lakh from the grandson, but there was an ongoing dispute over the remaining ₹11 lakh,” a police investigator said. “We are investigating whether this conflict had any link to Anil’s murder,” he said.

Further complicating the case is the Mercedes Benz in which Anil was travelling at the time of his death. Police found that the car belonged to a 70-plus paralysed person from Gachibowli, who allegedly owed ₹50 lakh to the same businessman. “As no repayment was made, Anil took the Benz car as collateral, effectively using it to pressure the debtor,” a senior officer said.

Police sources said Anil came from a poor financial background. “His parents are small farmers. He recently owned an i10 car and remained unmarried. He had taken to doing settlements and money recovery work, which seems to have earned him powerful adversaries,” the official added.

Investigators suspect that contract killers may have been hired by someone holding a deep grudge against Anil. “We are verifying all possible motives, including professional enmity and financial disputes,” the official said.

Medak district superintendent of police DV Srinivasa Rao said special teams are actively scanning CCTV footage from various locations and questioning suspects in connection with the case. “The investigation is progressing. We will reveal further details once the case is solved,” the SP added.