PUNE: The
government railway police (GRP), Pune region, have arrested a murder convict from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly robbing his colleague of Rs 35,000 and pushing him to his
death from a running
train near Bhilwadi railway station on October 20.
The convict Janardhan alias Guddu Vasant Yadav (42), and the deceased Gopal Avdesh Pandey (25), were both residents of Chandoli district in Varanasi and were working in an oil company in Goa.
The duo had boarded the general compartment of the Goa-Nizamuddin express from Goa railway station and was going to Mughalsarai.
Yadav allegedly pushed Pandey from the running train, killing him instantly, and robbed his bag containing his salary of the last two months. He dumped the bag near Amrapur station.
Inspector Ramesh Bhingardeve of the GRP, Miraj, said that Yadav on reaching his native place handed over a small bag to Pandey’s family members. He gave vague and misleading replies to the family members concerning the whereabouts of Pandey.
In the course of investigations, police recovered Pandey’s cellphone from the train and traced his native place address after contacting his relatives.
Yadav’s alleged involvement in the crime came to light after a police team visited Pandey’s residence and found that he had delivered a bag to them, but had not disclosed any information about his whereabouts. His family members suspected that Yadav was behind Pandey’s sudden disappearance.
Yadav, brother of a well-known political leader, was taken into custody from his hideout on December 1. Two days later, he was arrested on charges of murder after he admitted his involvement in the crime. A magisterial court in Miraj sent him in police custody remand till December 11.
Yadav was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Uttar Pradesh for killing two men, 12 years ago.
His appeal challenging his conviction is pending before the Allahabad high court. He was later released on bail.
Investigations conducted under the guidance of superintendent of police (railways) Vishwa Pansare had revealed that Pandey had helped Yadav in getting a job in the oil company in Goa.
Police personnel including A K Jamadar, Hamid Tamboli, D S Thombare and others are investigating.