Loharia murder case: 15 months on, architect surrenders in Thane court

Anurag Garg, one of the main suspects in the Sunil Loharia's murder case, surrendered in a Thane court on Friday afternoon. The court has remanded him in police custody till May 16.

Garg, an architect by profession, had gone into hiding just following the murder of the Navi Mumbai builder in February last year. He had applied for anticipatory bail in the Supreme Court last week, which was rejected. The apex court had also given him a deadline of 20 days to surrender.

Around 5.15 pm, Garg reached the court where several policemen from Mumbai crime branch were waiting. The court directed the police to take Garg into custody.

Mahesh Bijlani (younger brother of the main accused Suresh Bijlani) is now the only accused to be arrested in the case. He has been absconding for past 15 months – after the case was transferred to Mumbai crime branch. The Thane court had rejected his anticipatory bail plea nearly five months ago.

Loharia, 50, was shot dead in front of his office at sector 28 in Vashi by two assailants on a motorcycle on February 16, last year. Several builders including a retired encounter specialist were arrested in connection with the murder.

Garg was the common architect of all the builders and developers allegedly involved in the murder.