Investigating officers told the court on Tuesday, a day after filing the chargesheet against 10 accused that Sonwane posted in Malegaon, in north Maharahstra, had demanded a bribe from Popat Shinde, a history-sheeter and a known distributor of adulterated fuel, at Manmad.
Sonawane, on the night of January 25 while cruising through Panewadi, in Manmad spotted Shinde and his cronies mixing oil with adulterants.
Preliminary reports indicated that Sonawane was killed while carrying out a flash raid at Panewadi, one of the key oil-depots of Maharashtra housing IOC, BPCL and HPCL storage tanks and frequented with oil mafia goons.
However, even as Sonawane was battling the blaze engulfing him Shinde, the key suspect also sustained severe burns. He died later in a government hospital in Mumbai.
Following pressure from the media and the Central government officials, the state government handed over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation.
As per the chargesheet, investigating officers have slapped murder charge on three of the accused while charging six others with attempt to commit murder, abetment to commit murder and serious assault.
Shinde’s son who is a minor and has also been made a suspect is in remand home for delinquents.
