One suspect held in Sohna farmhouse murder case, many still on the run

Police arrest prime suspect in murder case of 28-year-old man outside a farmhouse on Sohna-Palwal Road on April 12; at least 15 more suspects still on the run.

Gurugram: Police on Monday said they have arrested the prime suspect who was allegedly involved in the murder of a 28-year-old man outside a farmhouse on Sohna-Palwal Road on April 12.

One suspect held in Sohna farmhouse murder case, many still on the run

Investigators said Ajay alias Ajju (25), was arrested by the Sohna crime branch team led by sub-inspector Satya Prakash on April 28, and he is on police remand till Tuesday for a detailed interrogation. This is the first arrest in the case and at least 15 more suspects are still on the run, they said.

Police said the suspects had also recorded a purported video of the murder and later circulated it on social media platforms to intimidate the deceased’s associates in Palwal. The victim was heard begging for mercy in the purported video.

According to police, the deceased Gyanender alias Bholu and another suspect Bharat, were close friends till a couple of months back, but they became rivals after a fight broke out at a party in Palwal. The arrested suspect Ajay is Bharat’s close associate and all of them indulged in anti-social activities, police added.

Investigators said Gyanender and his cousin Lalit had come to spend some leisure time at the farmhouse in Sohna at about 8am on April 12.

In the evening, they had come out to buy cigarettes when at least 15-20 suspects, including Ajay and Bharat reached the spot and forcibly made Lalit sit inside in one of their vehicles after taking him hostage at gunpoint, police said.

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said Ajay, Bharat and their associates assaulted Gyanender with wooden bats, rods and hammer. “Gyanender was admitted to a private hospital in Sector 43, where he died within a few hours of treatment,” the ACP said.

“Deceased Gyanender and Bharat had developed personal enmity. He had also opened fire in Bharat’s residence to intimidate him. The deceased had at least two criminal cases against him, while one case was registered against Ajay. Bharat is also involved in several criminal cases in Palwal,” ACP Sangwan added.

ACP Sangwan said that this was the first arrest in the case and at least 15 more suspects who are visible in the video, including Bharat, are yet to be arrested. “We are raiding their possible hiding locations,” he said, adding that a country-made pistol was also recovered from Ajay.

On the basis of Lalit’s complaint, an FIR against the suspects, including Bharat and Ajay, was registered under Section 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act at City Sohna police station on April 13, said police.