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2 arrested for murder of 2012 Pune bomb blast accused; cops probe political angle

A resident of ward number 2 in Shrirampur in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra, Jahagirdar was currently out on bail. He was shot dead by two persons in Shrirampur, around 2.50 pm on Wednesday.

Written by: Chandan Haygunde, Sushant Kulkarni

6 min readPuneJan 1, 2026 10:24 PM IST

ATS probe had revealed that bomb blasts were carried out on the instructions of fugitive Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Riyaz Bhatkal for taking revenge of alleged IM operative Qateel Siddiqui's murder by gangster Sharad Mohol in Pune's Yerwada jail on June 6, 2012.

The Ahilyanagar police have arrested two youngsters for allegedly murdering Aslam Shabbir Shaikh alias Bunty Jahagirdar (52), an accused in the 2012 Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road serial bomb blast case in Pune.

A resident of ward number 2 in Shrirampur in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra, Jahagirdar was currently out on bail. He was shot dead by two persons in Shrirampur, around 2.50 pm on Wednesday.

Based on clues obtained from CCTV footage, the police nabbed two suspects Krushna Arun Shingare (23) and Ravindra Gautam Nikalje (23) of Shrirampur, on Wednesday night.

A press release issued on Thursday stated that the accused have confessed to Jahagirdar’s murder. Police booked the accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103, 109, 3(5) and sections of the Indian Arms Act.

On Thursday, a court in Ahilyanagar remanded the two accused to police custody till January 6 for further investigation. Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police, Ahilyanagar, said an investigation is on to confirm the motive behind the murder, how the accused planned it, from where they procured the firearms, and whether persons are involved in the crime.

Jahagirdar’s cousin Raees Abdulgani Shaikh (43), a councillor at the Shrirampur Municipal Council, lodged the first information report (FIR) in this case at the Shrirampur city police station.

In the FIR, Raees Shaikh has alleged that a local gangster Chanya Beg from Shrirampur had Jahagirdar killed over political hostility. But police have not named Beg as an accused in this case, so far. A senior police officer said allegations made in the FIR are being investigated along with other possibilities.

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As stated in the FIR, after attending a funeral at the crematorium, Jahagirdar was going home with Amin Gulab Shaikh on a two wheeler, when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at them from a gun, near a hospital in Ward number 1, Shrirampur.

It is alleged in the FIR that the assailants said “Ekach Bhai Chanya Bhai (Only Bhai is Chanya Bhai), while firing bullets. Police said Amin Shaikh was injured as a bullet brushed his back. But, the assailants fired more bullets at Jahagirdar, leaving him in a pool of blood. Jahagirdar was initially taken to the Sakhar Kamgar Hospital in Shrirampur, but later shifted to a private hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. Later, his postmortem was conducted at the Ghati hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, police said.

Complainant Raeesh Shaikh stated in the FIR that his cousin Banti Jahagirdar was active in politics for the last 15 to 20 years. Jahagirdar’s mother was a councillor in Shrirampur Municipal Council from 2011 to 2019. After her death, Raees’s wife became a councillor from 2019 to 2021. Raees had been elected at the Shrirampur Municipal Council as a councillor in December 2025.

As stated by Raees in the FIR, Jahagirdar worked for MLA Hemant Ogale (Congress party) during the Vidhan Sabha elections 2024 and Council President Kiran Sasane for the Shrirampur Municipal Council elections held recently, leading both of them to victory, the FIR stated.

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Raees further claimed in the FIR, Jahagirdar’s political influence was causing hurdles for the political and criminal activities of the three brothers Chanya Beg, Sonya Beg and Tipya Beg, who run an organised gang, involved in serious crimes, in Shrirampur for the last 10 to 15 years.

“Chanya Beg was angry (at Jahagirdar) as he lost the Vidhansabha elections from Shrirampur constituency in 2024….. So he allegedly got my brother (Jahagirdar) killed through his men. Chanya Beg had made provocative comments against my brother in his speeches,” Raees alleged in the FIR.

Police sources said Chanya alias Sagar Beg is a criminal on record from Shrirampur, who contested the 2024 Vidhansabha elections as an independent candidate and got over 47,000 votes. Besides, he also allegedly operates a fringe Hindutva group in Shrirampur, sources said.

Police inspector Nitin Deshmukh of the Shrirampur city police station said of the two arrested accused, one was booked in an offence in the past, while the other has no previous criminal record. “As of now, it is not known whether the accused are linked to any group. But, further investigation is on,” said Deshmukh.

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Thousands turned up for Jahagirdar’s funeral in Shrirampur town on Thursday. His murder created a tense situation in Shrirampur. Along with local police, two companies of state reserve police force were deployed for maintaining law and order. Police warned action against anybody spreading rumours or false content on social media.

Police said Jahagirdar too was a notorious criminal on record, booked in multiple offences allegedly linked to illegal sand business, extortion, murder and terrorism. He also faced externment orders from the Ahilyanagar police due to his alleged involvement in criminal activities.

Jahagirdar was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in January 2013 for his alleged links with low intensity bomb blasts on J M road in Pune on August 1, 2012, in which one person was left injured.

ATS probe had revealed that bomb blasts were carried out on the instructions of fugitive Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Riyaz Bhatkal for taking revenge of alleged IM operative Qateel Siddiqui’s murder by gangster Sharad Mohol in Pune’s Yerwada jail on June 6, 2012.

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The ATS had alleged that the other accused in the J M road serial bomb blast case had procured three pistols and ammunition from Jahagirdar, allegedly for avenging Qateel’s murder and assassination of political and religious leaders.

The Bombay HC granted him bail in this case in January 2023. Earlier, he was also arrested under the Officials Secret Act in Nashik in 2006 for his alleged role in leaking Army information, police said.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Sushant Kulkarni

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

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