Three in police custody; Pune police on lookout for five other assailants of Shiv Sena’s Maratkar

Maratkar is the son of Vijay Maratkar, a two-time former corporator who recently passed away due to Covid-19

The Pune police are on the lookout for five suspects while three others are in custody in the murder case of Shiv Sena youth wing leader Deepak Maratkar (36), who was stabbed to death in Budhwar peth.

A case under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Arms Act has been registered at Faraskhana police station against eight people. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/Representative Photo)

The three people in police custody have been identified as Ashwini Kamble, Sunny Kolte, and Mahendra Saraf, according to the police.

Kamble and the deceased man had been involved in a feud since 2017 local elections when they were pitted against each other from their respective parties. Both of them lost the election that year.

Maratkar and Kamble had been at loggerheads ever since, according to the police.

“There have been multiple cross complaints from both the sides, but all were non-cognisable cases. There have also been preventive actions against both of them,” said Swapna Gore, deputy commissioner of police, Zone-1, Pune.

Saraf, who is a former Shiv Sena member, has had his own qualms with Maratkar since 1998, according to police.

“Sunny Kolte is the partner of Kamble. He facilitated the union of mutual rivals of the deceased, Saraf and Kamble. He is also a suspect for arranging the hit. These three were the brains behind the planned attack,” said senior police inspector Jagannath Kalaskar of Faraskhana police station.

A case under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Arms Act has been registered at Faraskhana police station against eight people.