Mastermind behind Patna businessman's murder arrested; who is he
What's the story
A trader, Ashok Saw, has been arrested for allegedly masterminding the murder of Patna businessman Gopal Khemka. The contract for the crime was reportedly worth ₹10 lakh and shooter Umesh Yadav was paid an advance of ₹1 lakh from this amount, according to the police. After the murder, Yadav was found hiding at Udaygiri Apartment, which is suspected to be owned by another influential businessman in Patna.
Crime scene
How the murder was executed
Khemka was shot dead outside his residence near Gandhi Maidan around 11:40pm on July 4. He was returning from Bankipur Club when two spotters alerted Yadav about his movements. One accomplice tracked Khemka from the club while another waited near Biskoman Tower to ensure a smooth execution of the plan. The shooter was already positioned near Khemka's residence, waiting for a final signal to execute the murder.
Ongoing probe
Police probing possible links to gangster Ajay Verma
The Patna Police have detained over a dozen suspects in connection with Khemka's murder. One suspect was arrested while attending the industrialist's funeral, while another suspect, Raja, was killed during a police encounter. The Bihar Police is investigating the high-profile case and is probing possible links to gangster Ajay Verma, who is currently incarcerated in Beur Jail. Authorities also suspect that the murder may be connected to a land dispute.
Encounter
Accused who supplied the murder weapon killed in encounter
Raja, a key accused who allegedly supplied the murder weapon, was killed in an encounter with police earlier on Tuesday morning in Patna City's Mal Salami area. The police said Raja opened fire when they arrived to arrest him, leading to retaliatory firing that resulted in his death. A pistol, cartridges and empty shells were recovered from the encounter site.