The Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested two people and detained a television actress in connection with the murder of a businessman in Panvel last week, The Hindu reported. The arrested people include a politician and a police constable who is currently suspended.
Diamond trader Rajeshwar Udani’s decomposed body was found in Panvel on December 4, days after he was reported missing. The Pant Nagar police had lodged a First Information Report against unknown persons for murder.
Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Lakhmi Gautam said the two men, identified as Sachin Pawar and Dinesh Pawar, are the main conspirators and have been friends for many years. While Sachin Pawar is a personal assistant to a state Cabinet minister, Dinesh Pawar is a police constable who was arrested for rape last week and suspended. He was taken into custody on Saturday afternoon.
“Sachin Pawar had a monetary dispute with the deceased, and he also claims that Udani misbehaved with his woman friend, which led him to plan the murder,” said Gautam. “The other accused helped him in the planning and execution of the crime.”
Gautam said that the police are yet to ascertain the exact sequence of events. “Prima facie, it looks like the murder took place much before the body was dumped in Panvel,” he said. The two men have been charged with abduction, murder, robbery and attempted destruction of evidence under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The police also detained actor and model Debolina Bhattacharya for questioning, Gautam said. “She is one of the 50 to 60 people we have interrogated in connection with the case,” he added.
According to Udani’s driver, the businessman received a phone call on November 28 and went to meet someone. He then changed cars at Pant Nagar Market. The police suspect that the accused called Udani to meet them and then killed him at a pre-decided spot. Later, his body was dumped in Panvel.
Udani’s body was sent for a postmortem examination on Saturday. “It has revealed nasal fracture, collar bone injury, smothering and strangulation,” Gautam said.
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