Mumbai: Another man arrested in connection with Sachin Sawant's murder

Sachin Sawant

Mumbai crime branch arrested the eight accused in connection with Shiv Sena leader Sachin Sawant's murder conspiracy. The accused identified as Umesh Sahani was wanted since the case was registered in 2018.

Sawant (45), Shiv Sena's local shakha pramukh (leader) on April 22, 2018, around 7.30 pm, was on his way home after leaving office when a few men shot at him. After the first bullet missed Sawant, he made a run for it. He ran for about 200 metres with the attackers chasing him and firing at him. The sixth bullet hit Sawant in the chest and he collapsed near the Sai Baba temple. The locals informed Sawant's family and friends about the incident and rushed him to the nearest private hospital. The hospital referred him to Shatabdi Hospital, as his condition was critical but doctors at Shatabdi declared him dead around 8.30 pm.

According to the officials from the crime branch's unit-XII, they received information that Sahani had come to meet a person in Dahisar. Immediately a team was formed and dispatched to the spot where a trap was laid and he was arrested. An officer said," Sahani allegedly provided the weapon to the killers and kept an eye on Sawant's whereabouts."

"We arrested the accused on Monday and he was produced before the court where he was remanded police custody till 25th of March," said Akbar Pathan DCP detection. Before Sahani's arrest, the police nabbed the other seven accused - Lokesh Singh (25), Abhay alias Barkya Kisan Salunkhe Patil(26), Satyendra alias Sonu Ramji Pal(24), Nilesh Sharma(27), Brijesh alias Brija Patel(36), Amit Singh(25), and Brijesh Singh(28).

According to police sources, the previous interrogation revealed that Patel and Sharma had planned the crime with the help from Brijesh and Pal who hired shooters - Lokesh and Abhay. Brijesh gave them Rs 3 lakh for the assassination and promised another Rs. 7 lakh and flats in Vasai or Nalasopara after the crime was committed. Two weeks prior to the crime, all the eight accused met twice at Appa Pada in Kurar to discuss the plan. Sources revealed they failed to execute the plan twice, and finally, on April 22, 2018, they succeeded.

The police also added, Sharma, Brijesh and Amit already have a number of cases registered against them. The accused fired six rounds of bullets from two pistols used in the crime, of which one bullet hit Sawant and another injured Shashikant Vishwakarma, who was travelling with him. Soon after committing the crime, all of them escaped to Uttar Pradesh. The investigation revealed that Sawant's efforts to redevelop a slum in the area was being opposed by Brijesh and Sharma. They often got into arguments and fights over this issue which led to his murder conspiracy.

Also Read: Mumbai: Shiv Sena shakha pramukh Sachin Sawant shot dead by two bikers in Kurar

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