Three shooters who killed Dharwad real estate developer arrested

The Mumbai crime branch arrested three more persons, from Ghatkopar and Chembur areas on Tuesday, in connection with the murder of a real estate developer at Dharwad

The Mumbai crime branch arrested three more persons, from Ghatkopar and Chembur areas on Tuesday, in connection with the murder of a real estate developer at Dharwad district in Karnataka on August 6.

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The three arrested accused are identified as Nilesh Govind Nandgaokar, 40, Sunil alias Mama Deoram Banao de, 55, and Navnath Arjun Dolas, 35. The Mumbai crime branch had arrested mastermind Rajendra Mohansingh Rawat alias Raju Nepali from Borivli on Monday.

Crime branch officials said all the three were shooters, and an accomplice of theirs who also shot at the developer is still hiding in Mumbai. The crime branch is on the lookout for other accused.

Crime branch officers said that Rawat, an associate of gangster Yusuf Suleiman Kadri alias Yusuf Bachkana from the past 10 years, had arranged for the shooters to murder the developer at the gangster’s behest for ₹10 lakh. Bachkana allegedly gave Rawat the contract over a financial dispute with the developer. The plot to kill the real estate developer was laid down in June and ₹2 lakh was transferred in Rawat’s account, said deputy commissioner of police Akbar Pathan of the crime branch.

Rawat’s name cropped up after the seven people arrested by Karnataka Police in connection with the real estate developer’s murder revealed his name and claimed that they were given the contract by Rawat, added Pathan. A police team from Karnataka then came to Mumbai and nabbed Rawat from Borivli area with the help of Mumbai crime branch officers.

During the further inquiry, it was learnt that the shooters were from Mumbai and the accused who was arrested by Karnataka police had helped shooters for recce and provided vehicles to them to flee from the city after the murder. Police sub-inspector Sanjay Surve got information and laid a trap and arrested them from Wadala area. During inquiry, Nadgaokar confessed that he was involved in a diamond robbery a case which was registered in VP road police station in 2014. He met Rawat and Bachkana in Arthur road jail where he became part of their gang, said police inspector Satish Taware of unit 7.

Two months ago, he met Rawat who made him talk to Bachkana at Hindalga central jail in Belgavi district of Karnataka, said officers. Each of the shooters was promised ₹2 lakh for the builder’s murder. The accused were brought to the unit office in Ghatkopar and during interrogation, they confessed the crime. They were handed over to the Karnataka police, said Talware.

Rawat was in touch with Bachkana and was still working with him despite the latter being lodged in Karnataka jail. During his interrogation, Rawat confessed that he was given a contract of ₹10 lakh to arrange shooters. After scrutinising Rawat’s bank account, police found that ₹2 lakh was transferred into his account before the murder, said crime branch official. Rawat has a 2013 attempt to murder case and other cases under the Arms Act registered against him at Kasturba police station at Vanrai police station in 2009.