Moments before murder, Bali, key suspect bantered

They are talking about a girl and a third voice is heard... Both of them are making comments on each other’s masculinity, but it sounds more like a friendly argument. POLICE OFFICER

MUMBAI: Moments before police informer Avinash Bali was murdered in Andheri (East), he and Nilesh Shukla, the prime suspect, engaged in a banter over their masculinity and women, according to a Whatsapp audio message. Bali, 40, was a police informer and key eyewitness in the 2011 murders of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez. The MIDC police have retrieved the audio message sent by Shukla to his younger brother. According to the police, the interaction was recorded moments before Bali was murdered, perhaps on Friday. Police sources said Shukla had escaped in his car after sending the message to his younger brother.

“The audio is full of abuses between Bali and Shukla, and a third voice could also be heard in the background. They are talking about a girl and a voice is heard, which says that he will call her. Both of them are making comments on each other’s masculinity, but it sounds more like a friendly argument. They are mostly talking about women,” said a police officer.

Shukla is alleged to have consumed cocaine daily and used to be under its influence most of the time. “We are suspecting that the attack took place in a fit of rage as they were consuming alcohol in the gala,” he said. Shukla’s last location was tracked to a highway near Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. His phone has been switched off since then.

Shukla called his younger brother after Bali’s body was found. “His brother told him that there was no way to escape. He told him to surrender,” said the officer.

Police have been interrogating his younger brother to find out about Shukla’s whereabouts. His driver has also been missing since the murder.

Avinash Bali became popular after he stuck to his statement in the murder case of Keenan and Reuben. His statement played a crucial role in the conviction of the accused.