Thane: Fourth accused in 2020 murder of MNS leader arrested

The accused, Osama Sheikh, will be produced in court on Wednesday. Representation Pic

The Thane Crime Branch, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh ATS, has apprehended Osama Sheikh, the fourth accused in the murder of Jamil Ahmad Sheikh, a political leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and an RTI activist.

Following the murder, Osama sought refuge in mosques in Kashmir, Jaipur, Lucknow and Delhi before taking shelter in mosques in Muzaffarnagar. The ATS had apprehended other accused - Irfan Sheikh, Habib Sheikh and Haji Badruddin - and handed them over to the Thane police.

On November 23, 2020, Osama, along with his three accomplices, allegedly murdered the MNS leader Sheikh in Thane. According to Brijesh Singh, assistant superintendent, UP STF, Osama hails from Khiria Kheriya in Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Guleria police station.

Osama, along with his fellow villager Irfan, alias Sonu, executed Jamil's murder while Habib had plotted the conspiracy. Osama revealed that the murder was carried out at the behest of Haji Badruddin, a political leader.

After fleeing from Thane, according to the Crime Branch, Osama went to Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir. He worked as a tailor there for a year and a half. He then moved to Jaipur, where he stayed for a few days before arriving in Lucknow. Upon learning that the STF was searching for him, he went to Delhi and joined a congregation of Muslims. From there, he sought refuge in several mosques in Muzaffarnagar.

After receiving information from the Thane Crime Branch, the UP STF team, with the help of local police, arrested Osama. The accused will be produced in court on Wednesday. However, the exact reason behind the murder is yet unclear and the matter is being investigated.

Nov
Month murder happened