Police on Monday arrested evangelist K.A. Paul, president of the self-styled Prajasanthi Party, along with three others in a case related to the murder of his brother David Raju. Kilari Anand Paul was remanded to custody for two weeks by the second additional district magistrate’s court, along with the three others: G. Srinivasa Rao, Bellamkonda Haribabu and Naga Chintarao.

According to Prakasam district SP K. Raghurami Reddy, David Raju was murdered on January 30, 2010, near Mahbubnagar, 100 km from Hyderabad, by one Koteswar Rao who had been hired by K.A.Paul. Koteswar Rao allegedly confessed his role in the David Raju murder to the police after he fell out with Paul over payment of money. Paul had allegedly promised Rao Rs 50 lakh for the murder, and paid Rs 5 lakh as advance.

He, however, failed to pay the balance. Paul complained to the police that he was being threatened by Rao, and the police took the latter into custody. It was during his interrogation that Rao spilled the beans about the murder contract. When he came to know of Rao’s confession, Paul offered the investigating officer, Ongole taluk circle inspector Srinivasa Rao, a bribe of Rs 1 crore for not filing a case and also for handing Rao over to him.

Paul was ‘friends’ with Presidents
From humble beginnings, Killari Anand Paul, the Christian Evangelist from Chittivalasa in Vizainagaram district, rose to be a world renowned preacher meeting heads of nation including that of the US. That’s all old story. What’s new is, he’s cooling his heels in a jail in Ongole. Controversies and allegations of dubious acts in the name of charity surrounded K.A. Paul, as he jetted across the world. His private aircraft, the Boeing 747 which he named as ‘Global peace One” alias ‘Global Peace Ambassadors,’ was grounded in 2005 on the charge he was not paying for its debts and maintenance.

At one time, a dispute arose between him and his brother David Raj over the properties including the Charity City in Sadashivapet in Medak district. Paul used to claim he counseled dictators like Charles Taylor, Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic. When he was cornered, he alleged that his ‘Global Peace Mission’ was stalled by the likes of US President George W Bush and Secretary Condoleezza Rice, and Indian leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

Dabbling in politics back home for a while, Paul floated Prajashanti party and announced candidates for byelections in the state. Recently, the Congress was using him to counter Brother Anil Kumar who had a strong hold over the Christian community. Paul’s criticism of the then CM YSR won him the backing of former CM Chandrababu Naidu.

Paul’s bribe offer caught on camera
When evangelist K.A. Paul allegedly gave Rs 3 lakh as advance of a bribe to the investigating officer, inspector Srinivasa Rao of Ongole taluk circle for not filing a case, the latter recorded the transaction on his spy pen video camera and handed it over to his superiors. Paul was then taken into custody. The three others arrested on Monday were hired by Paul to attack Koteswar Rao, who was hired by Paul to murder his brother David Raju, police said. The police filed cases under Sections 229, 120B, 307 and 109 of the IPC against the accused.