Mastermind among the two arrested for Thane jeweller’s murder

Mishra, who used to work as watchman at Jain’s residential complex till about two-and-a-half year ago, had plotted the murder with Bhoir, police said

Maharashtra Police have arrested the main accused in the murder of Thane based jeweller Bharat Jain. 25-year old Atul Mishra, arrested on Wednesday night, used to work as a watchman in Jain’s housing complex and used his knowledge of Jain’s daily routine to hatch a plot to murder and rob him with help from the other accused, police said.

Naupada police arrested Mishra and Nilesh Bhoir (35) on Wednesday night for murder of Thane jeweller Bharat Jain (Shutterstock)

Jain, who stayed with his family near the Makhmali Talao in Thane, went missing on August 14 and his body was found floating in the Mumbra-Retibandar creek on August 19. Police last week arrested Subhash Surve (39) and Balwant Cholekar (36) in connection with the killing. Surve is an Ola Cab driver and was allegedly driving the vehicle used in Jain’s kidnapping, while Cholekar is alleged to have helped the other accused flee the city.

Naupada police arrested Mishra and Nilesh Bhoir (35) on Wednesday night.

They said Mishra, who used to work as watchman at Jain’s residential complex about two-and-a-half year ago, had plotted the murder with Bhoir.

“The duo intercepted Jain as he was walking home from his jewellery store at 10.30 pm on August 14 and made him get into a cab being driven by Surve. They then strangled him inside the cab and disposed of the body in the Mumbra-Retibandar creek in the early hours of August 15. They then returned to the jewellery store and stole silver jewellery worth around Rs. 1.25 lakh,” deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) Avinash Ambure said.

Mishra and Bhoir were picked up in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh and brought to Mumbai on Wednesday. Police have recovered a country made pistol, a country made revolver, and one live round from them. The silver jewellery stolen from Jain’s store was recovered from Cholekar’s possession last week, police said.