The Karnataka High Court denied anticipatory bail to former Minister and K.R. Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj in the realtor ‘Bikla’ Shiva murder case. Following this, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) formed multiple special teams and launched a search to find the legislator. As of Tuesday night, no breakthrough has been reported. This is not the first time the MLA has been on the run. In December 2025, during the legislative Winter Session in Belagavi, Byrathi Basavaraj went underground. Back then, the High Court provided relief from the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act, 2000, but asked him to seek anticipatory bail from the sessions court. When the sessions court denied bail, he challenged the decision in the High Court, which then protected him from arrest until the final order. That final order came on Tuesday. CID sources confirmed that teams are actively searching for the MLA in Bengaluru and outside it. His associates have been questioned as part of the investigation to determine his whereabouts. There is a possibility that Byrathi Basavaraj might move the Supreme Court against the High Court's order and continue to avoid arrest until he gets relief in the apex court.