BSP leader among 7 held for murder near GPO

For one of the others arrested,the police said,the motive was revenge: Samad Ismail Deshmukh alias Salim,36,had gone to jail for carrying stolen goods that allegedly belonged to Madar,who had apparently promised to pay him but didn’t.

Madar was shot in front of his office near the GPO on September 15. He died in hospital the next day.

“We have detected the murder and arrested seven involved so far. We have also recovered the 9mm factory-made pistol used and three rounds,” said Joint CP (Crime) Himanshu Roy.

The other five arrested are Abdul Majid Shaikh,32,Abdul Rehman,32,Shahid Shah,28,Sagir Ahmed,25,and Shahnawaz Shaikh,28. The alleged killers were given a contract of Rs 3 lakh,Roy said,adding the police are investigating possible underworld links.

“Salim is in the scrap business and was involved in the theft and sale of marine diesel. In 2008,Customs officials booked him for smuggling 2 lakh litres of marine diesel worth Rs 40 lakh. He was detained for over 10 months under COFEPOSA and released 2½ ago,” said Roy.

“According to Salim,the diesel actually belonged to Chand Bhai,and it was under the latter’s request that he had taken the rap for the crime. According to Salim,the tug used belonged to him,and Chand Bhai had allegedly promised to get the tug released and pay him in return for being arrested,” Roy said.

He said after Salim’s release,Madar didn’t honour the agreement and so Salim sought revenge and approached Mohammed Ali. “Ali too was involved in marine diesel theft and the scrap business,Madar was his rival. He agreed to finance and conspire in the murder,” said Roy.

Ali is a history-sheeter who has been detained under the National Security Act and has TADA proceedings against him. He has also been booked for three murders,as well as dacoities and other offences.

The police said Salim approached truck drivers Abdul Shaikh and Abdul Rehman,both of whom stayed in Wadala and have criminal histories,who in turn roped in the two shooters,Shah and Ahmed,from Jharkhand.

Salim allegedly made his driver Shahnawaz stand outside Madar’s office and point him out to the two shooters.

Roy said the police are probing if earlier incidents in the area that appeared to be accidents were actually murders.