One more held in RTI activist Amit Jethwa murder case

Days after the arrest of a Junagadh constable in the alleged murder of RTI activist and green crusader Amit Jethwa, another accused has been held in connection with the case here, the police said today.

Pachan Shiva, 28, one of the persons who shot Jethwa, was arrested from near the state transport bus depot late last night, crime branch officials said.

Jethwa was shot dead from a close range near the Gujarat high court on July 20 after he filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against illegal mining in Gir forest region.

On Monday, the city crime branch had arrested a police constable Bahadursinh Dhirubha Wadher, 37, posted in Girgadhada police station in Junagadh district, in connection with Jethwa's murder.

According to police, Wadher had given the contract of killing Jethwa to Shiva and one Shailesh Pandya, a sharp shooter, who is still absconding.

The duo, who came on a motorcycle, shot Jethwa when he was coming out of his lawyer's office near the High Court.

Both Shiva and Pandya were promised Rs11 lakh by Wadher for killing Jethwa, police said.

A day after Jethwa was shot dead his father Bhikabhai Jethwa had alleged that BJP MP from Junagadh Dinu Solanki was behind his son's murder.

However, crime branch officials had said there were no leads which pointed at Solanki's involvement in the case.