Five arrested in Bangalore for JD(S) corporator's murder

Claiming to have cracked the January 16 murder of gangster-turned Janata Dal (Secular) corporator Haji Mohamad Ali alias Deewan Ali, police today arrested five persons in connection with the incident.

"The five accused who have been arrested are: Afsar alias Appi, Saleem Ahmed, Farooq, Afroz and Nazeem", city police commissioner Shankar Bidari told PTI.

The five had been remanded to 15 day's police custody, he said.

Ali (37) was murdered and two of his aides were injured by some unidentified persons near his office in Banashankari area in the city on January 16.

Afsar, who split from Ali's gang some time ago following differences between them, was apparently roped in by Asghar, an undertrial prisoner to execute the plan to kill Ali.  

Afsar is the son of Daru Faiz, who had fallen out with Ali after the latter attacked his family members here a couple of years ago.

According to police sources, Ali had created several enemies who nursed a grudge against him. Ali was a rowdy-sheeter and had around 36 cases, including rioting, pending against him. He was lodged in central jail in May 2010 and was subsequently released on bail.

He then contested the local civic elections and was elected corporator.

Ali had reportedly given "supari" to eliminate one of his rivals Mahim on August 12 last year, police said.