Suspect in Moosewala killing among 2 arrested: Police
HT Correspondents
PUNE: Pune police have arrested two persons in connection with the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab’s Mansa district last month, officials said on Monday.
Santosh Jadhav (35) and his accomplice Navnath Suryavanshi (22) were arrested by the local crime branch (LCB) unit of Pune rural police from Gujarat’s Kutch district late on Sunday, officials in Pune police said.
Police believe the duo are associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, the main suspect in the case, and may have played some role in the murder, the officials added.
Jadhav is an accused in a 2021 murder case in Pune and was on the run for the past few months, Pune additional director general of police (ADGP) (law and order) Kulwant Sarangal said. The accused, who had shaved his head and changed appearance to evade arrest, was nabbed from Nagore, in Mandvi taluka of Kutch district on Sunday.
Jadhav is also a suspect in a case pertaining to a threat letter to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan, Sarangal said. “We apprehended Jadhav and Suryavanshi after receiving information from Mahakal. Jadhav along with Mahakal and Suryavanshi are associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and are suspected to have a role in the Moosewala murder case,” Sarangal said. Siddhesh Kamble alias Mahakal was arrested by Pune police last week for allegedly sheltering Jadhav after the murder in 2021.
During the course of investigation, police learnt that Jadhav was hiding in Gujarat, officials said.suryavanshi was also booked for allegedly providing shelter to Jadhav after the 2021 murder, officials added.
“We are ascertaining the trio’s exact role in Moosewala’s murder case,” Sarangal said, adding that more people from Maharashtra may be possibly linked to the Bishnoi gang.
“The Moosewala case is being probed by Punjab Police, we are coordinating with them,” the ADGP said.
Jadhav and Suryavanshi were produced before a judicial magistrate on Sunday night and remanded to police custody till June 20. A total of 10 people have been arrested by Punjab Police so far for allegedly providing logistics support, conducting recce and harbouring Moosewala’s attackers.