Happy times: The Rajkumar family, Ravi Belagere and Govardhan Murthy at the muhurat of Madesha

L Govardhan Murthy, who allegedly shot dead actor Vinod last weekend, was used to the good life, and was in the process of building a mansion that would have put the richest tech moguls in Bangalore in the shade.

The 35-year-old high school drop-out had acquired much wealth, and flaunted it without a care.

He had imported Italian marble for his mansion, and was preparing to build a helipad. He owns a fleet of luxury cars, and has named all projects after himself: the L G in LG Builders stands for L Govardhan Murthy.

MiD DAY visited three sites late last night. Work on his mansion at Bilishivale Nagar, on the way to Bengaluru International Airport, has ground to a halt after he allegedly pumped two bullets into the stomach of Vinod Kumar, an up-and-coming actor.

L G Rose Resort, where the shooting took place, is now guarded by the police. MiD DAY found a couple of constables napping comfortably in a well appointed room where Govardhan used to stay.

The 100-acre expanse has no private security. "We have been asked to keep an eye on every movement... you need permission from the police to enter," said a constable. That after we had honked, entered, and taken pictures! 

At L G Lakeside Dew, a 15-minute drive from the resort, Govardhan is offering commercial plots for sale. This is where he is building his luxury mansion.

"These marbles are imported from Italy," said a construction worker. Govardhan had planned to complete work on the mansion by mid-2008, but work had slowed down, presumably because of the slump in real estate.

The blood-and-gore saga he produced recently, Madesha, didn't run beyond a week despite the presence of popular star Shivarajkumar. Police are still not sure about the motive for the murder, and believe he pulled the trigger in an impulsive moment. A source told MiD DAY he may have escaped to Dubai.

Tycoon on the run

>>Govardhan Murthy's bungalow is outside his LG Lake Dew layout.
>>He owns more than 200 acres in and around Bangalore. He reportedly owns 400 acres elsewhere in Karnataka, and about 50 acres in Dubai.
>>He reportedly wanted to register the new house in the name of his wife Sharada.