‘Killing due to political rivalry, another trader hatched conspiracy’
INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENTIRE CONSPIRACY WAS HATCHED TO ELIMINATE PANDEY WHO WAS STRONG CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN POST
LUCKNOW: Increasing political clout of Mohanlalganj businessman Sujeet Pandey spurred his rival Madhukar Yadav to get him eliminated, claimed senior police officials here on Wednesday after the arrest of two suspected shooters involved in the crime on Tuesday night.
Pandey was killed in indiscriminate firing by two motorcycle-borne shooters near his brick kiln in Gaura village of Mohanlalganj on December 20.
Pandey had remained pradhan of Indrajeetkheda village and presently his wife Sandhya Pandey is pradhan of the same village. Pandey and his family members own a brick kiln, a petrol pump and multiple shopping complexes in Mohanlalganj town area and he also was the president of Mohanlalganj traders’ association.
Lucknow commissioner of police (CP) Dhruv Kant Thakur said so far investigation revealed that Yadav and his two brothers Ram Achal and Himkar hatched the entire conspiracy to eliminate Pandey who was the strong candidate for the chairman post of recently declared Mohanlalganj Nagar Panchayat. They said Madhukar wanted to clear his path for the post of the chairman before the elections.
Thakur said the three brothers had hired the shooters and planned to get executed the crime while they remained inside the jail after arrest on December 17 in another case of oil theft from a factory sealed by food and civil supplies officers. He said the connecting links of Madhukar Yadav and the two shooters had been found.
“The two shooters were spotted doing recee of Pandey’s movement near the brick kiln since December 15. Besides, they were also spotted along with Madhukar Yadav in court when he and his brothers were arrested on December 17,” he emphasised.
Besides, the call detail records and mobile locations of the shooters and Madhukar also justify their links, the CP added.
He said the investigation also hinted towards Madhukar’s involvement in the murder of another property dealer Ashok Yadav in front of Mohanlalganj Tehsil campus on September 16, 2019. He said Ashok Yadav was also killed on the same pattern by two motorcycle-borne assailants in full public view. He said Ashok Yadav was killed apparently over property dispute.
He said Madhukar and his two brothers’ custody will be taken in the case to quiz them further about their involvement in the murders of Sujeet Pandey and Ashok Yadav.
Earlier, the two shooters, Mulayam Yadav and Arun Yadav, were arrested in Ashiana area after they were injured in police encounter on Tuesday night. Mulayam has nine criminal cases registered against him in the past while Arun has seven criminal cases.