Puzzled, police probe all angles

Although police officers refuse to comment, sources told The Indian Express that the following theories were being explored:

• That this could be a supari killing carried out by the underworld and a fallout of Pandya’s crackdown on gangsters controlling cable TV networks.

In 2000, when he was minister of state for home, Pandya had taken on many cable TV operators using strong-arm tactics. He had even taken on TADA detainee Bharat Solanki, brother of deputy minister Purshottam Solanki, who was seeking to wrest control of the network in Ahmedabad.

The deputy minister had demanded action against police officers who booked his brother. Pandya had maintained that ‘‘one has to fight against unprincipled elements at some juncture.’’ When he submitted resignation as minister on July 14, 2000, Pandya had said, ‘‘Police officers cannot be penalised for doing the right thing.’’ While it was rumoured that Pandya might be entering the cable TV business, it’s the enmity Pandya created with the Solankis that needed to be investigated, a senior police officer said.

• That the killing might be linked to the land mafias Pandya cracked down on as minister for revenue. Pandya had initiated inquiries into several land deals, worth crores of rupees, before his resignation in August 2002. Several land mafias of central and south Gujarat and the Saurashtra region were involved. Pandya had also acted against the so-called ‘‘charcoal mafia,’’ robbing revenue land of acacia and gando baawal for charcoal-making.

Pandya had demanded that officials get to the root of the illegal trade, and had even initiated disciplinary action against those who went easy.

• That the killing was to avenge the post-Godhra violence, in which the saffron brigade was seen to have had a major role. Although police did not probe the allegations thoroughly, at least two complaints had been made out that Pandya had led or directed mobs attacking Muslims in Paldi, which falls under his constituency. In one, Dr Yunus Bhavnagari of Decent Flats, said Pandya was in the mob that attacked his apartment house on February 28, 2002. In the other complaint, 17 residents of Mohlatwad, too, had said the same.

Pandya’s family members, however, say they have no clue. For Pandya had never even hinted that he perceived a threat to his life. In fact, Pandya would go about his business on his own, driving his Maruti car himself. After quitting as minister and being denied a BJP ticket, Pandya would spend most of his time handling the family business in dyes and chemicals, besides spending time with friends or playing golf.

‘‘In the morning, he would leave for his walk about 7.30 and return about nine,’’ said Mehul Pancholi, his nephew.

Another relative said, ‘‘Since August, he spent a lot of time with the family. Earlier, as minister he was very busy. But now he was mostly home. Even party workers could meet him at home.’’