Moose Wala murder: Pune Police arrests 2 suspects from Gujarat
What's the story
The Pune police on Monday arrested two persons from Gujarat suspected to be involved in the murder of Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala in May. The accused Santosh Jadhav—said to be part of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang—was apprehended in connection with a 2021 Pune murder case, the police said. Jadhav's aide Navnath Suryawanshi, also allegedly linked to Moose Wala's murder, was held too.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Moose Wala's killing has brought gang wars in Punjab to the fore. Goldy Brar, whose real name is Satinder Singh, claimed that he and gangster Bishnoi had planned Moose Wala's assassination because of the singer's involvement in the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera and Brar's cousin Gurlal Brar. The Bambiha gang, run by Lucky Patial, earlier claimed responsibility for Middukhera's murder.
Suspect
Jadhav held for 2021 murder case
Jadhav was on the run after allegedly killing criminal Omkar Bankhule in Pune's Manchar area in August 2021. He was also booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and has at least five cases registered against him with the Pune Rural Police. Last week, the names of Jadhav and Siddhesh Kamble—another Pune resident—cropped up in Moose Wala's murder at Punjab's Jawarke village.
Interrogation
Kamble was arrested last week
Last week, Kamble was arrested by the Pune Police. He was accused of allegedly sheltering Jadhav in the 2021 murder case. The Delhi Police Special Cell and Punjab Police had also interrogated him in connection with Moose Wala's murder. He was also grilled by the Mumbai Police over the alleged threat letter issued to Bollywood star Salman Khan and his father, scriptwriter Salim Khan.
Statement
What SIT has said so far regarding the case
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) had claimed in its first formal statement that Moose Wala, who left his residence at 4:30 pm on May 29 with his neighbor Gurwinder Singh and cousin Gurpreet Singh, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen. The SIT later said that four shooters were identified following the initial investigation. The team has been questioning the alleged shooters for leads.
Investigation
Bishnoi mastermind in Moose Wala killing: Delhi Police
Gangster Bishnoi, who has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail since last year, is being interrogated in police custody, as per reports. Last week, the Delhi Police told reporters that Bishnoi is the mastermind in Moose Wala's killing. The police had reportedly apprehended 30-year-old Bishnoi from Tihar's cell number eight in connection with a 2021 case involving arms smuggling.