Suresh Bhagat murder: Prime accused Pujari turns approver

A prime accused in the murder of matka king Suresh Bhagat,who had offered to plead guilty,has now become a witness in the case.

A prime accused in the murder of matka king Suresh Bhagat,who had offered to plead guilty,has now become a witness in the case. Kiran Pujari,who along with Suresh Bhagats wife Jaya and son Hitesh allegedly killed Bhagat in June 2008,had moved an application before a sessions court offering to turn approver in the case and aid the Crime Branch in putting the missing links together.

Pujari had moved an application under Section 306 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking Tender of pardon. His application was accepted by the sessions judge on Wednesday. Pujari was granted pardon under the condition that he will voluntarily make full and true disclosure of the whole circumstances that led to Bhagats murder, said Special Public Prosecutor Kalpana Chavan.

Pujari,a Mulund resident,had allegedly acted as a legal adviser in the syndicate helping his co-accused to ensure they are not caught. According to the chargesheet,the police recovered Rs 4 lakh from his Mulund residence. Prosecution claimed Pujari was paid Rs 5 lakh for his services,of which he allegedly spent Rs 1 lakh.

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Bhagat was killed along with six others at Alibaug on June 13,2008,when a dumper rammed into the SUV he was travelling in. The police first booked the driver for rash driving but later,the Crime Branch alleged that the killing was part of a larger conspiracy by Jaya and Hitesh to take over the multi-crore matka business. It was alleged that Jaya paid a supari of Rs 45 lakh to her paramour and Arun Gawli gang member,Suhas Roge,to carry out the hit.

Eight persons Suhas Roge,Harish Mandvekar,Kiran Amli,Shaikh Azimuddin,Pravin Shetty,including Jaya,Hitesh and Pujari were arrested by the crime branch.

While all the eight accused were booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA),the Special Court had dropped the charge after the prosecution failed to establish the pecuniary gains,a prime ingredient for MCOCA charges.

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