History-sheeter caught from MP for Dholera murder

Ahmedabad: A team of Ahmedabad rural police's local crime branch (LCB) arrested one Sukhram Mahida alias Raju, 37, from Kotla Sailana near Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh over his suspected role in the murder of Babu Chakda, 68, in Dholera. Raju, a history-sheeter, had been on the run when he joined Babu as his truck cleaner. Police suspect that after witnessing Babu making a deal, Raju had strangled him with his handkerchief and then fled with the deal money.
Investigators said, after going through records they had found Raju is wanted in 35 cases in MP and Rajasthan. He was brought to Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The body of Chakda, a native of Godhra, Panchmahal, had been discovered lying in his truck at Bapa Sitaram Hotel in Pipli, near Dholera, on February 15 this year. Chakda had been strangled. There was no definite clue about the murder except that the cleaner of the truck, Raju, was also missing.
On a complaint lodged by Liyakat Chakda that mentioned Babu had been strangled and Rs16,000 that was to be on him was also missing, Dholera police began investigation.
Nirlipt Rai, SP of Ahmedabad Rural, said police had doubts about Raju's disappearance, but initially there was little to tie him to the murder.
"To solve the case, we went through files and when it became clear that Raju was a definite suspect, a team of LCB went to MP to nab him," said Rai.
"During our background search, we learned that Raju is involved in 40 offences including loot, dacoity, murder, theft, scuffle, and was caught under Arms Act and Prohibition Act. He was on the run from police when he came to Godhra earlier, this year, and had started working for Babu Chakda. They had been to Bhavnagar to deliver a truckload of grass for Rs16,000," said an LCB official.