Hyderabad: Two days prior to killing faction warlord G Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri, P Bhanu Kiran alias Bhanu had a bash at a well-known pub at Banjara Hills where he planned the execution of the killing.
And he tested his firing skills at an isolated place on the outskirts of the city.
Bhanu told CID interrogators that he had used a country-made weapon to test his firing skills before going ahead with his plans to kill Suri. He fired nearly five rounds in the open fields near Shamshabad.
Though he used a country-made weapon to test his firing skills, he relied on the licensed weapon of his bodyguard, Manmohan Singh, to open fire on Suri.
"Country-made weapons are not reliable for firing rounds in quick succession.
"They get heated after the first round is fired and the second round might not be as effective.
"That is why Bhanu used a genuine weapon for killing Suri. He did not take any chances," an investigator said.
Bhanu had procured nearly nine country-made weapons and tested one of them but he executed the killing with a genuine weapon.
Some persons related to the film industry, including producer Singanamala Ramesh, were present when Bhanu tested his firing skills.
Bhanu also told investigators that he partied at the pub, Touch, in Banjara Hills two days prior to Suri's killing. "He worked out the pros and cons of killing," an investigator said, adding that he spent the days lavishly before executing the killing.
After killing Suri, Bhanu stayed at Sharma Lodge in Delhi under the guise of a private company employee there.
Bhanu told investigators about the commission he received in return for helping several real estate developers bag project contracts.
He also spilled the beans on the money he had given to Mangali Krishna and Srinivas, said to be close associate of Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
Bhanu also told investigators that he spent nearly Rs 25 lakh in the name of Suri on various programmes in Anantapur district after the sudden demise of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
