John obtained a blank cheque from his friend and wrote a figure of Rs.8 million.

He gave the cheque to his friends Kranthi Kiran Rathod and K. Pradeep Kumar, both students aged 20, who were to present the same to Prasad by posing as insurance officials.

'They partied till around midnight. John mixed Ethyl alcohol in the liquor served to Prasad. When Prasad was about to leave for airport, the trio pounced on him. John took out a 'chunni' (scarf) and strangulated Prasad,' said the police official.

The trio came out of the room, locked it from outside and went into the second room where all the four accused attacked Vijayalaxmi and her two children and strangulated them.

The accused took away gold jewellery from the dead bodies, Rs.50,000 in cash, three cell phones, two ipods and other valuables. They locked the room from outside, went into their room and took rest till 3.30 a.m. before checking out.

The dead bodies were in the two rooms for the next day and it was only on Aug 22 that the lodge employees noticed foul smell coming from the rooms and informed the police.