Sadar Bazar murder: 22-year-old shooter nabbed, 4 still on the run

The 48-year-old victim — Sukhbir Khatana alias Sukhbir Chairman — was allegedly shot dead by a group of men inside a clothing showroom near Agarwal dharamshala in Sadar Bazar around 3.30pm on September 1 while he was shopping at the showroom with his cousin Rajender Patwari (36), police said

Police on Sunday night arrested a 22-year-old shooter in connection with the murder of a former vice chairman of Sohna Market Committee on September 1, said officials on Monday.

Policemen outside the showroom where Sukhbir Khatana was killed in Sadar Bazar. (HT Photo)

The 48-year-old victim — Sukhbir Khatana alias Sukhbir Chairman — was allegedly shot dead by a group of men inside a clothing showroom near Agarwal dharamshala in Sadar Bazar around 3.30pm on September 1 while he was shopping at the showroom with his cousin Rajender Patwari (36), police said, adding that they have also identified four other suspects in the case.

Police said Sukhbir was about to leave the store when a group of men reached the spot. Two or three armed suspects kept a lookout, while three others barged in and fired at least five to six bullets in the head and chest, and he died on the spot.

Based on technical evidence, police have already identified five of the suspects, including the arrested shooter — Yogesh alias Sillu, a native of Rajasthan — who was hired for ₹1.5 lakh for carrying out the hit, said officials.

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said about 10 police teams were formed to investigate the case and arrest the suspects involved in the murder at the earliest. “We have scanned at least 20 CCTV footage from the crime spot and nearby areas, and identified all five suspects,” he said.

Based on a complaint filed by Sukhbir’s son Anurag Khatana (21),an FIR was registered against Sukhbir’s 35-year old brother-in-law Chaman (goes by first name), under sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Arms Act at the Civil Lines police station on September 1 evening, said police. Anurag had alleged in the complaint that Chaman — Sukhbir’s second wife’s brother — had a strained relationship with Sukhbir and “killed him because of a personal dispute”. “...According to Anurag, Chaman had threatened to kill Sukhbir on several occasions as he was unhappy with Sukhbir’s second marriage‘ and planned to kill him along with his friends,” Sangwan said.

The investigation on Friday was handed over to the Sector 31 crime unit, which was led by Anand Kumar (in-charge).

“The police team arrested Yogesh from DLF Phase 1 on Sunday night. He admitted to the crime during interrogation, and revealed that Chaman, who hired him to carry out the crime on August 30, also provided him with weapons and was present at the crime spot. Yogesh and the four other suspects, including Chaman, fled the crime spot in different vehicles. Yogesh was hiding at a house in DLF Phase 1, from where police arrested him on Sunday,” said Sangwan, adding that Chaman is a real estate businessman and owns an office in Gurugram’s Sohna.

Yogesh was produced before a court on Monday, and sent to on a four-day police remand, said officials.