Seven more held for real estate agent’s murder in Pune

PUNE: The Warje Malwadi police on Sunday arrested seven more persons, including the brother-in-law of the real estate agent, Sachin Pralhad Shinde (25), who was murdered in Warje on January 6. Police investigations have revealed that the main accused Shubham Rajendra Dhavade (18), a resident of Shukrawar Peth, murdered Shinde along with his accomplices as he was against his sister’s love marriage with the latter.The police had earlier arrested Shinde’s friend Dinesh Dahibhate (23), a resident of Budhwar Peth, Navnath Dhene (19), Dhavade’s accomplice and a resident of Warje, and Shubham’s father Rajendra Dhavade (45) for their involvement in the murder.
“Rajendra Dhavade had allegedly given Rs 60,000 to his son, Shubham, to buy firearms and sharp weapons to eliminate Shinde,” said Ganpat Pingle, senior inspector of the Warje Malwadi police station. The other suspects include Nakul Khade (20), a resident of old Sangvi, Vishal Lokhande (26) and Ameya Marne (20), both residents of Dandekar bridge area, Chetan Pawar (22) of Karve Road, Akash Sonawane (23) of Kondhwa and Vishal Gaikwad (23) of Sinhagad Road. Dhavade and his accomplices were arrested from Indapur following a tip-off. “We laid a trap and nabbed Dhavade and his four accomplices from Indapur. The other two were picked up from Sinhagad Road. We had also conducted searches in Satara, Solapur and Goa,” Pingle added.
Shinde was shot at and hacked to death on January 6 while he was returning home from an ‘Urs’ (fair) in Nanded village, near here, with Dahibhate. Shinde had parked his motorcycle near the bridge in Warje. Shinde was attacked with sharp weapons while he was pushing his motorcycle. They also fired three rounds at Shinde and then bludgeoned him to death with big stones. The Warje Malwadi police had booked Dhavade and his accomplices after Shinde’s brother alleged their involvement in the murder. Pingle said the police have procured the CCTV footage of the murder. During the investigation, the police found that Dahibhate had dropped him near his motorcycle on the night of January 6.
“Dahibhate had accompanied Shinde to the Urs and was continuously in touch with Dhavade and others giving them information about Shinde’s movements,” Pingle said. Pingle said Dhene had cut the fuel pipe of Shinde’s motorcycle. “Dahibhate and Dhene are currently in the custody of the Warje Malwadi police. During sustained interrogation, all the accused admitted to their involvement in the murder,” he added. The investigating team comprised assistant inspectors Vivek Mahamunkar and Pramod Nalawade, police constables Jagannath More, Harishchandra Kenjale and Rajendra Marne.