Sleuths pick Udayan aides from dhaba

SATARA, SEPT 14: The four men, wanted by police for their alleged role in the murder of Satara NCP councillor Sharad Baban Levhe, were ar...

SATARA, SEPT 14: The four men, wanted by police for their alleged role in the murder of Satara NCP councillor Sharad Baban Levhe, were arrested early today. Said to have been with BJP Assembly candidate and former State Minister Udayanraje Bhosale when Levhe was killed, they were picked by CID sleuths from a roadside dhaba near Satara.

The foursome 8212; Yadu Narkar, Prashant Narkar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sushil Mojhar 8212; was remanded to police custody till Saturday by chief judicial magistrate K.M.Wadgaonkar. The police have charged them under IPC sections 302, 343, 323, 327, 143, 147, 148 and 149.

In the packed courtroom, assistant public prosecutor N.B.Mane sought police custody for the four, saying that the weapon of offence and the vehicle involved were still to be recovered. Mane said 35 people were involved in the attack and identity of the others was still to be established.

Levhe8217;s driver Vijay Jadhav, in his complaint to the police after the killing last Saturday, had named Udayanraje and the four as the men who had attacked the NCP councillor. While Udayanraje was arrested hours after the murder, the foursome had gone underground.

Traced by a team led by Additional SP CID Crime Mangaldas Ahiwale, the four were held around 3 am Tuesday.

Prime suspect Udayanraje, the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, is still at the Satara Civil Hospital where he was taken when he complained of chest pain hours after his arrest. Udayanraje, remanded in magisterial custody till September 23, has not moved any bail application so far.

A day after his arrest, Udayanraje had faxed his resignation from the Narayan Rane Ministry. It was accepted by Maharashtra Governor Dr P C Alexander late Monday evening. In his resignation letter, Udayanraje denied involvement in the incident and maintained that he was stepping down only to allow a just probe into the episode.

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Meanwhile, NCP8217;s Abhaysinhraje Bhosale, uncle of Udayanraje and rival for the Satara Assembly seat, has protested the manner in which a large number of people were being allowed to visit Udayanraje at the hospital.

Abhaysinh8217;s contention is that Udayanraje is in magisterial custody and, therefore, he should not be allowed visitors at the hospital. Not satisfied with the State order for a CID probe into Levhe8217;s murder, the NCP leader has been demanding a CBI inquiry.

Normalcy has been restored in Satara although police continue to patrol the streets. The Rapid Action Force RAF contingent, deployed afterthe incident, pulled out last evening.