Bengaluru, June 28 : In a major development, the Bengaluru police have now arrested the sister-in-law and nephew of slain BJP leader Rekha Kadiresh, officials said on Monday. Kadiresh was killed by a group of assailants in broad daylight on Thursday, sending shockwaves across the city. The arrested accused were identified as Mala (50) and Arul (22), both residents of Cottonpet. Police said that Mala, the elder sister of S. Kadiresh, had been integral part of the Ganja peddler Gang that was formed by him about three decades ago. This gang controlled the marijuana racket, illicit liquor making and other allied businesses including extortion. "Mala too was arrested in the past for running an illicit liquor dens. She was popular as the hooch queen till sometimes back. After her slain brother, S. Kadiresh, was hacked by a rival gang in 2018, his second wife, Rekha, had started distancing from them and have played a crucial part in 'image building' of Kadiresh. After she 'succeeded' in his image from a notorious criminal' into a 'Robbinhood' of that area, she persuaded him to join politics and eventually she was the beneficiary among all family members as she was elected twice to Bengluru's civic body," the police added. However, this did not bore well with other family members including Mala, Peter and other relatives, who were still stuck deep into the crime world. "Though, just two months ago, Rowdy-sheet against Peter was dropped, but his association with crime still continued. After Kadiresh's murder in 2018, Mala started nursing an ambition to represent the ward Rekha had been representing till 2018 two terms in a row. Rekha had remained adamant for the reasons as entire wealth, properties created by Kadiresh was automatically transferred to Rekha, which was also another reason for bad-blood flowing within the criminal gang of family members built by Kadiresh prior to his murder," the police explained. Rekha was gearing up to contest the upcoming Bengaluru civic body, on a BJP ticket but the family was contemplating to feild Rekha's sister-in-law, Mala or her daughter Kasturi or Arul's wife Purnima from another party in the same ward but due lack of 'resources' which the family was staring at imminent defeat, hence, the family decided to bump off Rekha, after failing to persuade her from withdrawing from elections, the police said. The police added that with the family already working against Rekha, who had become seasoned politician knew how win hearts of people as her ward has sizeable poor voters live, who due to prolonged lockdown had lost jobs and she had been distributing food kits on a regular basis, as a result of this, the Kadiresh's family arrived at an unanimous decision to bump her off. The police has registered a case and further investigation is on. /IANS