Man hacked to death

Additional Sessions judge T Y Hirwale acquitted four persons allegedly involved in the killing of a city-based hotelier Ramnath Payade, who was also chairman of the Association for Hotel and Resturants AHAR, Mumbai.

According to the prosecution, Payade was shot dead on June 15, 1995 outside his office at Borivli by two armed assailants.

Four accused, Mario Dixon, Suryakant Dhumal, Shailesh Patil and Vishwanath Shetty were earlier identified by the witnesses in an identification parade, but later on the witnesses during their deposition in court turned hostile.

The prosecution case further said the killing was carried out at the behest of gangster Sharad Shetty.