Politician from regional party had threatened Mumbai Shiv Sena leader, claims son

Three days after a Shiv Sena leader was allegedly shot dead in Kandivli, his 21-year-old son told the police that his father had been threatened by a leader from a prominent regional party in Kurar police station premises over an SRA project.

Sachin Sawant was shot dead on Sunday night near his residence by two bike-borne men. In 2010 too, three men had attempted to murder him.

Speaking to HT at his residence in Ganesh Krupa chawl, Durga nagar on Akurli Road in Kandivli (East), Sachin’s son Omkar said that he strongly suspected that the murder was related to the SRA project running into crores. Omkar is a complainant in the case.

“At this juncture, I do not want to blame anyone. I, however, told the police everything I could recollect. Just days before my father was murdered, we had conducted a bhoomi poojan (groundbreaking ceremony) on April 18, after which the SRA project was to begin,” he said. Sachin was an advisor for Akash Developers that had undertaken the SRA project. When Sachin’s men were putting up banners in the chawl, they faced fierce opposition from another local group, who was against the builder.

People opposing the project put up their own banners in the area, saying they were against it. They also stopped Sachin’s men from putting up banners. A skirmish took place after which both parties went to Kurar police station. At the police station, people opposing Sachin called workers of a prominent regional party.

Omkar said, “The political party worker had no personal issues with my father, but he threatened to harm him in front of everyone in the police station premises and left in a huff. My father took it lightly. I have told the police about the incident. I hope they probe all angles.”

Hours after the murder, the Kurar police detained two men from the opposite group . When asked about their detention, a police official said it was a routine questioning. In the 2010 case while one accused was acquitted, two others, including the shooter, remain absconding. The motive in this case too was a stalled SRA project in the area, which was supposed to start in 2006.