Mumbai diamond merchant’s murder: Man who was in car with Udani, held

Mumbai-based diamond merchant Rajeshwar Udani’s body was found in the bushes in a hilly area near Dehrang dam, Panvel on December 4. Police have arrested seven people in the case so far.

The Pant Nagar police on Wednesday made its seventh arrest in the murder of diamond merchant Rajeshwar Udani. The arrested accused Siddhesh Shankar Patil, 23, was in the car during the incident, the police said.

The arrested accused, Siddhesh Shankar Patil (in pic) was present in the car at the time of the murder, said police. (HT Photo)

The police had arrested Ghatkopar-based political worker Sachin Pawar, constable Dinesh Pawar and the driver of the car Pranit Bhoir in the case. On Tuesday, three more arrests – Mahesh Prabhakar Bhoir, 31, Shahista Khan, 41, and her niece Nikhat Mohammed Umar Khan, 20 – were made.

Akhilesh Kumar Singh, deputy commissioner of police, zone 7 confirmed the development and said Patil was part of the execution of the plot to kill Udani. The exact roles of those involved are being ascertained, said police sources .

On November 28, Udani left his office at Vikhroli. On his way, he asked his driver to stop at the Vikhroli outpost on the eastern express highway and entered another car that was parked 70 metres away. On December 4, Udani’s body was found in the bushes in a hilly area near Dehrang dam, Panvel. A case of murder was registered.

“Nikhat and Pranit were waiting for Udani. They drove in the direction of Navi Mumbai. When they reached Airoli, Dinesh, Mahesh and Patil entered the car,” said a senior police officer. “They then attacked him and suffocated him by stuffing a cake into his mouth,” the officer said.

Udani’s body was dumped in Panvel. Dinesh and Nikhat then drove the car to Alibaug, while the other three went to their respective homes. The next day, Dinesh dropped Nikhat to her residence reportedly at the behest of Sachin Pawar.