Sixth accused held in Lohariya murder case

The revelation comes after the two latest arrests in the case. While Mumbra-based contractor Altaf Khan (38) was arrested on Tuesday,Ambarnath resident Mohammed Naseer Ansari alias Bhai Jaan (42) was held on Wednesday. Ansari is a real estate agent,police said.

“Khan and Ansari were waiting at separate locations near Lohariya’s office. While Khan was waiting in his Scorpio,which has been seized,Ansari was waiting in a hired Innova. There were some others with each of them and we are trying to identify and trace them,” said a crime branch officer.

Investigations have also revealed that Qureshi,after fleeing the scene,abandoned his motorcycle and fled to Mumbra in the Scorpio along with Khan.

“Both Khan and Ansari came into contact with Amolik during his stint with Mumbra police and Thane crime branch respectively,” the officer added.

Newsline had earlier reported how,as part of careful planning,Qureshi,after reaching Mumbra,discarded his cellphone and shaved his hair and beard in order to evade the police. Shettiar was to follow suit had he not been caught. The duo made their way to Vashi separately,met at the station and then went to Lohariya’s office where they waited for him.

The amount of planning also casts doubts on Amolik’s claim that he killed Lohariya over an argument they had around two months ago. The police are sceptical that someone would go to such lengths to kill a man over a row.

Ansari’s is the sixth arrest in the case and police are on the lookout for four businessmen from the real estate sector in Navi Mumbai.

TIMELINE

FEBRUARY 16: Builder S K Lohariya is brutally murdered outside his office in Vashi by Shettiar and Qureshi. Shettiar is arrested by eye witnesses who give chase while Qureshi manages to escape

FEBRUARY 17: Amolik arrested after Shettiar reveals his name during interrogation. Qureshi is traced and apprehended from Mumbra. Businessmen Suresh Bijlani,Vijay Gajra,Anurag Garg,Sumit Bachchewar,Bhupesh Gupta and Satyaprakash Agarwal also booked after family alleges their involvement

FEBRUARY 18-19: Lohariya’s family claims they received threatening calls from Bijlani. Seperate cases registered by Turbhe police

FEBRUARY 21 Case transferred to Mumbai crime branch after repeated demands by Lohariya’s family

FEBRUARY 25 Bijlani’s anticipatory bail rejected by Bombay High Court

FEBRUARY 27 Sumit Bachchewar arrested

FEBRUARY 28 Lookout notice issued against Bijlani and Garg

MARCH 5 Altaf Khan arrested

MARCH 6 Mohammed Ansari arrested