Farmhouse owner held for sheltering fugitive Rajeev Gowda

Mangaluru: Police have arrested Michael Rego, the owner of a farmhouse at Pachchanady on the outskirts of Mangaluru, for allegedly providing shelter to absconding former Congress leader Rajeev Gowda, who is wanted in multiple criminal cases registered in Chikkaballapur district. Rajeev Gowda, a Congress leader from Shidlaghatta taluk in Chikkaballapur district, is facing cases registered under Crime Nos. 9/2026 and 10/2026 for allegedly abusing the municipal commissioner, Amrutha Gowda, using obscene language and obstructing her from discharging official duties.

Following the incident, the Congress party expelled him from the party. Subsequently, a local court in Chikkaballapur rejected Gowda’s bail plea. His petition before the Karnataka High Court was also dismissed, after which he went absconding. Police investigations revealed that Gowda had been moving across various districts within Karnataka and outside the State to evade arrest. Based on specific intelligence, Shidlaghatta police learnt that Gowda had been hiding for the past two days at a farmhouse belonging to businessman Michael Rego, located within the jurisdiction of the Mangaluru Rural Police Station at Pachchanady.

On January 26, a police team from Shidlaghatta arrived in Mangaluru and detained Michael Rego in connection with the case. Sensing imminent arrest, Rajeev Gowda allegedly fled the farmhouse in a car. He later abandoned the vehicle near the railway station limits of the Kankanady Town Police Station and escaped. Police teams continued to track his movements and finally apprehended Rajeev Gowda near Kannur in Kerala. He was subsequently produced before the court for further legal proceedings.

Further investigation is under way to ascertain whether others aided the accused in evading arrest.