The investigation into last week’s shootout at Dongri, in which alleged Chhota Shakeel aide Zahir Hassan Mir (50) alias Chote Miyan and his nephew Arshad Saeed (50) were shot, has been transferred to the Crime Branch.
The investigation was transferred to the Crime Branch after the Nagpada police failed to make any headway in the case. Senior Inspector Sanjay Kadam of Nagpada police station on Sunday said the case was transferred to the Crime Branch on Saturday. He said that though the police explored various possibilities about the motive, they could not attribute any specific reason.
Highly placed sources in the Crime Branch told Hindustan Times that Abdul Wali Qureshi (38) and Jagmohan Pal (27), the duo who survived the attack, could not provide any description of the shooters.
Sources said the Crime Branch was investigating the monetary dispute angle.
Initially, the police suspected that acquaintances or family members of slain police informer Irfan Chindi could have been involved in the shootout as Chote Miyan was said to be instrumental in Chindi’s murder. The Nagpada police had summoned several informers and family members of Chindi for questioning, but failed to obtain a lead.
This, sources said, led the police to suspect a bigger game plan, as the murderers appeared to be highly professional. “Such professional job demands high remuneration which is beyond the reach of Chindi’s relatives or acquaintances,” sources said.
{{/usCountry}}This, sources said, led the police to suspect a bigger game plan, as the murderers appeared to be highly professional. “Such professional job demands high remuneration which is beyond the reach of Chindi’s relatives or acquaintances,” sources said.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said Chote Miyan, who ran a gambling den at Dongri, also doubled up as a cricket bookie. His proximity to Shakeel was well known in bookie and punter circles of Mumbai. The betting angle is being investigated, sources said.