3 Chhota Rajan men nabbed

MUMBAI, April 14: Three Chhota Rajan gang members were arrested by the Khar police on Monday. They were accused in a murder attempt on a wine shop owner and for the death of a witness, both at Khar, early this year.

Ravi Nandu Pujari alias Godwin, Anil Bhanudas Waghmode and Satish Tangappan Joseph had come to the wine shop owned by Vinay Goregaonkar on January 5, 1998, on the pretext of buying beer. They left when told that beer was unavailable, only to return seconds later. They fired several rounds at Goregaonkar, who, however, was hit by a bullet and was admitted to Lilavati Hospital. A month later, the trio shot dead Mohan Mohite, witness to another murder and assault case, on February 16, 1998, again at Khar. The description of the assailants in both cases were found to be similar.

Reliable sources said Goregaonkar was shot for his refusal to lend money to Nitesh Kasare, another Rajan man who was trying to get out on bail in a murder case. And Mohite was a star witness in a murder case involvingKasare and his accomplices.