Son of ex-corporator shot Santacruz RTI activist

The Mumbai crime branch have recovered a pistol and five live rounds from Amjad Khan on Wednesday after he confessed to the crime

Amjad Khan, son of ex-corporator Razzak Khan, 78, confessed that he shot RTI activist Bhupendra Vira on the night of October 15 while the latter was watching television. The Mumbai crime branch have recovered a pistol and five live rounds from Amjad on Wednesday after he confessed to the crime.

Additional commissioner of police KMM Prasanna (crime branch), while confirming the weapon’s recovery, said, “We have been questioning Razzak and Amjad about the involvement of other people and if there was a conspiracy to kill Vira.”

Razzak and Amjad were arrested a day after the incident when Vira’s family said they suspected the duo owing to past enmity. As the police initiated investigations, a witness surfaced, who had spotted Amjad heading towards Vira’s residence a few minutes before the murder. Based on circumstantial evidence, the Vakola police arrested Amjad and his father. They both are remanded in police custody till October 24.

The investigation has been handed over to the crime branch.

The crime branch also picked up Razzak’s four other sons and a few relatives for questioning, but a senior officer of the crime branch said they were told to go soon after.

Vira had filed more than hundred RTI queries against Razzak’s property and had exposed him for the unauthorised construction in and around the area. Razzak got an order from the Lokayaukta in the morning (on the day of the incident) to initiate action against him based on Vira’s complaint.