Pune couple gets life term for social worker’s murder

A husband and wife duo from Shiv Darshan were on Friday awarded life imprisonment for killing a social worker Poonam Maharashtrian Hindusthani (37), who was the first woman autorickshaw and truck driver from the city.

Additional sessions judge AZ Khwaza sentenced Poonam’s neighbor Renuka Niwritti Bhise (29) and her husband Niwritti Rama Bhise (34) in this regard.

Poonam was so active in social work in Shiv Darshan that a documentary titled Rani Hindustani was made on her life, which won the special jury award in 2003 at the Dallas South Asian Film Festival.

According to the prosecution, Poonam was murdered by the duo, along with a minor boy on December 25, 2005.

Rakesh Wegde who used to visit the Bhises developed enmity with the victim over a petty issue. A non-cognizable offence was registered against Wegde on December 18, 2005.

On the day of incident, the couple, along with a minor boy, entered Poonam’s house with the motive to kill her. They had abused and beaten her up before attacking with choppers.

Another accused was acquitted in the case while the fourth was a juvenile.

Cop in kidnapping case suspended
Pune police on Sunday suspended constable Amol Khude attached to the crime branch, who was arrested on Friday by the Dehu Road police for kidnapping a pickpocket and demanding extortion from him.

The procedure to suspend orders was going at the police commissionerate on Saturday.  Deputy commissioner of police (economic offences wing) Rajendra Dahale said, “We have issued orders for Khude’s suspension and an additional
commissioner of police is conducting the enquiry.”

The police are scrutinising the criminal past of Mahakali gang members in the case. Khude, who had joined the police force in 2007 and was deployed at Shivajinagar headquarters a year later, was recently posted at the crime branch unit.

He and others had allegedly kidnapped Imran Khan of Chinchwad and brought him to a secluded place at Kiwale.

Khude and Khan were found fighting because Khude had allegedly demanded Rs20,000 per month as extortion from Khan.
After receiving a tip-off, the police arrested Khude and Khan.

A wanted criminal Rakesh Dholakiya alias Mahakali called up Khude on his cellphone and asked him to go to Ramabainagar slums.

However, the police team visited the slums, where Dholakiya’s supporters started stoning the team headed by sub-inspector RG Bhoite to deter them from arresting him.

One Hanumant Shirke allegedly fired two rounds on the police team, but missed the target. Bhoite fired one round in self-defence from his revolver. Four policemen sustained injuries in the incident.

Inspector Nitinkumar Gokave of Dehu Road police said, “They have formed three teams to nab the gang members.”

One killed, two hurt in e-way mishap
A 38-year-old BPO employee, Makrand Patwardhan a resident of Sinhagad Road area, was killed and two others were seriously injured, as their car’s tyre burst on Saturday afternoon.

The vehicle turned turtle over the divider and hit a roadside rock on Pune-Mumbai expressway.

The other injured have been identified as Nilesh Suhalal Bafna (38) of Gangadham in Bibvewadi and Balbir Singh Batra (52) of Maharashtra Housing society in Yerawada.

The Lonavla police said they got a call from the highway police on Saturday afternoon. However, Patwardhan died on the spot while others were rushed to Lokmanya Hospital in Nigdi.

Murder suspects get police custody
The judicial magistrate (first class) court on Sunday remanded Pandurang Tukaram Marathe (30) of Khatpewadi, Mulshi, and Rahul Nandkumar Shedge (22) of Warje in police custody till December 28.

Officials of the anti-extortion cell of the Pune police arrested them on Saturday for allegedly murdering Balasaheb Madhav Marne (26) of Ambegaon, Mulshi, on Friday night.

The police said the suspects thought that Balasaheb was involved in NCP leader Sanjay alias Pintya Sadashiv Marne’s murder, which took place on August 14 this year. On Friday around 8.45 pm, a group of over 15 people attacked Marne with sharp weapons resulting in his death. The Paud police are investigating the case.

Assistant public prosecutor DL More argued for their police custody.

Man arrested for killing youth
The Bund Garden police on Sunday arrested Sunil Bhima Shinde for allegedly stoning 20-year-old Kalya Tukaram Salve to death at Aga Khan Palace lane on Connaught Road on December 22 last year.

The police said Salve was a resident of Yerawada. The investigations revealed that Shinde was roaming with Salve on the day of murder.