Hyderabad: The Karnataka police have solved the murder of Telangana businessman Ramesh, whose burnt body was discovered in a coffee estate in Kodagu district, media reports said.

His second wife, Niharika P, along with two aides, has been arrested in connection with the crime, reported Indian Express.

Investigations revealed that Niharika allegedly killed Ramesh to seize assets worth Rs 8 crore, according to the report.

The investigation began on October 8, when an unidentified body was found in the Kodagu estate.

Police teams swiftly got into action, analyzing footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras and reviewing vehicle movement data from nearby areas.

The breakthrough came when investigators identified a red Benz registered to Ramesh, who had recently been reported missing.

The Kodagu police worked with Telangana Police to gather details on Ramesh's personal life, leading them to focus on Niharika and her two associates: Dr. Nikhil, a veterinarian, and Ankur Rana, a Bengaluru resident.

During questioning, Niharika confessed, according to police reports.

Niharika, 29, originally from Mongeer Nagar in Telangana, had a turbulent past. After her father’s death when she was 16, her mother remarried.

Despite an early marriage and subsequent divorce, she was academically successful, graduating with an engineering degree and securing jobs in reputable companies.

However, her life took a turn when she became involved in a financial scam in Haryana, leading to her arrest.

Following her release, she returned to Bengaluru and married Ramesh in 2018, who supported her lavish lifestyle until tensions arose over her demand for Rs 8 crore, the report said.

Driven by anger, Niharika allegedly orchestrated the murder with Ankur’s assistance.

Police claim she lured Ramesh to Uppal, Hyderabad, on October 1, where he was strangled.

Niharika and her accomplices then transported his body nearly 840 km to Kodagu, left it in a coffee plantation, and set it on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Despite filing a missing person report for Ramesh to divert suspicion, the investigation soon pointed to her involvement.

Police are now examining Ankur’s potential connections to other crimes, including the suspicious disappearance of his wife, signalling that this case may be linked to a broader criminal scheme.