Crime branch cracks transporter’s murder, 4 including gangster arrested

Nagpur: With the arrest of four persons, including a dreaded gangster, city crime branch on Saturday cracked the sensational kidnapping and murder case of transporter Bobby Makan, whose semi-decomposed body was found around 40km from the city near Kondhali on April 28.
The arrested accused have been identified as Shailendra Singh Lohiya alias Little Sardar, Gurmeet Singh alias Babu Khokar, Harjeet Singh alias Sittu Gaur and Manindar Singh alias Honey Chandak. They were produced before court which granted PCR for seven days. One of the accused, Manjeet Wade, is still absconding.
The case was cracked after police nabbed Honey from Mumbai. It is learnt, before nabbing Honey police had called other accused for questioning but they did not reveal anything about their involvement.
Addressing a press conference, Jt CP Ravindra Kadam said the accused had kidnapped Makan and killed him for allegedly planning a shooting on Little Sardar in 2017. “Fearing that Makan will again plan a similar move, Little Sardar decided to kill the transporter,” said Kadam. It is learnt that the police had failed to nab the shooter who had fired shots on Little Sardar in 2017.
“We suspect that Makan was strangled to death and the ligature marks had faded as the body was in the advance stage of decomposition,” the Jt CP said and also claimed that Little Sardar is the mastermind of the crime.
Sources claimed that Little Sardar had a grudge against Makan as he used to pose as his friend but would ask his arch rival to attack him. Makan would also ask Little Sardar to attack his arch rival, a gangster from North Nagpur. Makan had claimed the arch rival had planned an attack on Little Sardar in 2017.
However, Little Sardar and his arch rival made truce and also heard an audio clip in which Makan was allegedly instigating both of them against each other. Since then Little Sardar was angry with Makan.
Manjeet, who runs a transport shop near Makan’s office, was also angry with the deceased believing that he had given police tipoff that had led to a raid on an illegal gambling den run by him.
On the night of April 26, Makan left his office and got into his car. He was then allegedly approached by one of the accused claiming that Little Sardar and others want to talk to him. While Makan drove in his own car, the accused were in a white SUV. Honey parked Makan’s car near Sugat Nagar before leaving, while other accused took the deceased in the white SUV.
It is learnt, the accused had a few drinks before taking Makan to a farm house of Khokar, where they stayed for some time.
Sources claimed that the accused also took Makan to Madhya Pradesh for a drive. While returning, Khokar was driving the car, while Makan was sitting next to him. Manjeet, who was in the back seat of the SUV, pulled out a rope and strangled Makan to death. The accused then dumped the body near Kondhali.
Meanwhile, Makan’s wife filed a missing complaint with Jaripatka police on April 26, which later turned out to be a murder and kidnapping case.
Jt CP Kadam also said that help of forensics and chemical analysers will also be taken to gather more scientific evidence in the case. He also informed that the commissioner of police has announced a reward of Rs75,000 for the crime branch for cracking the case.
Additional CP BG Gaikar, DCP (Crime) Nilesh Bharne, crime unit PI Narendra Hiwre, API Yogesh Chaudhari, API Pramod Bedorkar and API Pramod Ghonge was also present at the press conference.