Expelled BJP MLA held for killing former colleague

AHMEDABAD: Chhabil Patel, a former Gujarat legislator who was expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was arrested on Thursday for the alleged murder of the party’s former state vice-president Jayanti Bhanushali on January 7, a senior police officer said.

Patel, who r epresented Abdasa Assembly constituency, was taken into custody at the Ahmedabad international airport Thursday morning after he returned from the United States, said director general of police (CID) Ashish Bhatiya.

Patel had been absconding since the killing Bhanushali. Bhanushali was shot dead on-board the Bhuj-dadar express train between Bhachau and Samkhiyali stations in Gujarat’s Kutch district.

“Arrest of his son Siddharth and process of seizing his properties put pressure on Patel to surrender,’’ Bhatiya said. Siddharth was arrested for arranging accommodation and travel facilities for the two sharp shooters who had killed Bhanushali.

I n February, police had arrested two sharpshooters — Sasikant Kamble and Ashraf Sheikh.

The police is now on the hunt for Manisha Goswani who, due to a financial dispute with Bhanushali, had plotted his murder along with Patel.

The BJP has expelled Chhabil Patel from the party after the murder FIR was registered against him in January.