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Ahmedabad crime branch nabs 4 suspects in journalist’s murder case
Police said as the investigation unfolded, it emerged that the journalist’s strained relationship with his neighbours was the reason behind the crime
The Ahmedabad crime branch on Friday booked four individuals for the murder of 50-year-old journalist Manish Shah, who was attacked when he was riding his motorcycle to his office around on the night of June 1 by two bike-borne unknown assailants.
The attackers assaulted Shah with knives, specifically targeting his legs and inflicting severe wounds. Despite receiving medical attention at the city civil hospital, Shah succumbed to his injuries five days after the attack, said an official. Shah worked for a monthly magazine and channel called Public Press News, said officials. In his complaint Shah had alleged that someone upset with his news coverage might be behind the attack.
The four accused, Mahipalsinh Champawat, Aakash Vaghela, Aniket Ode, and Vikas Ode, were initially booked at Riverfront East police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 506(2) (criminal intimidation), 114 (abettor present when offense is committed), and the Gujarat Police (GP) Act 135 (1) (Possession of arms or ammunition by unlicensed persons). Later, the more severe charges of IPC 302 (punishment for murder) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) were added.
Police said as the investigation unfolded, it emerged that Shah’s strained relationship with his neighbours in the Vatwa region of Ahmedabad was the reason behind the incident. When police questioned Mahipalsinh Champawat, one of Shah’s neighbors, they learned that Mahipalsinh’s brother, Yuvraj, had been involved in an illicit affair with Shah’s wife.
“Shah came to know about this, and in 2021, his wife filed a police complaint alleging rape against Yuvraj. As a result, Yuvraj was arrested. He got conditional bail from the court, with the condition that he should not enter the Vatwa police station area. After this incident, there were constant quarrels between Shah and Mahipalsinh’s families,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
Fueled by resentment, Mahipalsinh approached Shaktisinh Chauhan from Sanand, who ran a paan shop there, and Chauhan introduced him to 22-year-old Akash Vaghela, also known as Akku. Mahipalsinh allegedly offered a contract to Akku, paying him ₹2 lakhs to break Shah’s legs, the officer said.
Akku then got in touch with Aniket Ode from Vadaj and Vikas Ode from Surat, offering them ₹1,20,000 to carry out the task of breaking Shah’s legs. Both Vikas and Aniket met Mahipalsinh, who shared Shah’s pictures and tracked his movements and provided them with his route, even showing them Shah’s house, the officer added.
Acting on this information, Vikas and Aniket chased Shah on a two-wheeler and signaled him to stop near the Sabarmati Riverfront on June 1. When Shah halted his bike, Vikas attacked him, thrusting a knife into his legs. Aniket and Vikas were paid ₹70,000 and ₹30,000, respectively, while Akash received ₹50,000, and Shaktisinh kept ₹30,000 for his role, the officer said.
What seemed to be a plan for an assault to break Shah’s legs has escalated into a murder, the officer added.
