Desk Correspondent , Bengaluru - A 45-year-old businessman, whose body was discovered on Sunday on a railway track in Ramanagara district in an apparent suicide, has emerged as the prime suspect in the murder of a 40-year-old guest lecturer, police said on Tuesday. The lecturer's charred body was found inside a burnt car in an isolated area near Bashetty Industrial Area in Doddaballapura on May 2. Inspector Sadik Pasha of Doddaballapura Rural Police Station confirmed that verification linked the deceased businessman to the crime.

Investigators revealed that the pair was involved in an extra-marital affair that turned sour. The businessman had allegedly pressured the lecturer to marry him, which she refused, leading to personal disputes as the primary motive. Police suspect the crime was premeditated: the accused borrowed the car earlier, claiming a medical emergency. The couple had gone on a long drive to Nandi Hills and surrounding areas before reaching the secluded spot where the murder occurred. The car was set on fire in what appears to be an attempt to mislead investigators.

A case has been registered following a complaint by the lecturer's husband, and further probe is underway to establish the complete sequence of events. The businessman's body was found a day after the lecturer's on a track near Bidadi. Authorities are examining all angles even as the suspected suicide of the prime accused has closed one chapter of the investigation while raising questions about the full circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.