Quick thinking by crime branch sleuths helped them arrest a pick-pocket who allegedly murdered a cable operator last month. The accused, Abu Bakar Shaikh, 35, and his accomplices killed a 45-year-old man and threw his body on the railway tracks at Dadar to make it look like he was killed in an accident. However, before the train could run over the body, the police spotted it and a post-mortem revealed he was strangulated.
According to joint commissioner of police (crime) Sadanand Date, on December 14, the body of a 45-year-old male was found on the Matunga-Sion slow track. "It appeared that the body was thrown on tracks to pass off the death as an accident. Later, we identified the deceased as Mahendra Bacchubhai Rajput, a cable operator from Mahim," said assistant commissioner of police, Praful Bhosale.
A case of murder and destruction of evidence was then registered with the Dadar railway police, said additional commissioner of police (crime) KMM Prasanna.
"Investigations revealed that the deceased was last seen playing cards in a social club in Shahu Nagar area of Mahim (E) on the night of December 13 and then went missing after midnight. We kept vigil on those who were last in touch with Rajput. Sources told us that a criminal from Dharavi had committed the crime with two accomplices," said Bhosale.
As per the police, Rajput was a businessman and used to visit social clubs in Dharavi during late hours to play cards. "Rajput used to wear expensive gold chains, rings and was known to spend money on friends lavishly. The accused admitted that he had murdered Rajput to rob his valuables and cash as he used to see Rajput splurging in clubs," said Bhosale.
Explaining the sequence of events, an officer said, "On the night of December 13, Rajput had visited the club but couldn't get a place to play. Shaikh then befriended Rajput and asked him to accompany them to play in some other club. They first got him drunk and then strangulated him. They later dumped Rajput's body on railway tracks before stealing his belongings. We questioned over 60 people and a witness told us he had seen Rajput leaving the club with Shaikh on the night of the incident."
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