The investigators have so far arrested ten others in connection with the murder.

The State Criminal Investigations Department (CID, Crime) sleuths were pressing for the custody of the former Minister of State to expedite the investigations. Udayanraje, who was arrested on the charges of murder on September 11 morning was earlier remanded to magisterial custody till next Thursday. He was later admitted to intensive care unit at the Civil Hospital here after complaining of chest pains and fluctuating blood-pressure.

The alleged delay in filing the revision petition seeking Udayanraje's police custody even after additional director general of police, in-charge of CID Crime M N Singh pressing for it publicly, had raised many eyebrows.

District Government Pleader Prakash Pawar pleading for CID told the court today that remanding Udayanraje in police custody was essential to complete the investigations in the case.

Defence counsel Dhairyasheel Patil opposing the CID petition, told the court that the sleuths had almost finished the investigations in the case and that they (the CID officials) were free to take necessary information from Udayanraje who has been in the magisterial custody.

Stating that his client would extend every help to the investigators, Patil called the CID effort as an act ``putting the case in a reverse gear.'' The police could have asked for the custody of Udayanraje on September 11 itself. He pointed out that police had failed to submit the copies of first information report (FIR) to the chief judicial magistrate when Udayanraje was produced in that court. These documents were filed next day (September 12), he said.

The former minister was later taken into custody by CID sleuths, it was stated.