Builder's murder: Retired policeman, main shooter held

A retired police officer and a shooter, who was on the run, were arrested today in connection with the murder of a Navi Mumbai-based builder outside his office in Vashi, police said.

While one of the two shooters Venkatesh Shettiar was apprehended yesterday itself after he and his accomplice allegedly assaulted Sunil Kumar Loharia (50), the other assailant Wajid Qureshi (28) was held today, a police officer said.

"Qureshi is a resident of Mumbra in Thane district" he said.

Qureshi's arrest came on the heels of police nabbing former encounter specialist Samuel Amolik in Mumbai earlier today for allegedly masterminding the gruesome murder.

Loharia sustained five bullet injuries and stab wounds after Shettiar and Qureshi allegedly attacked him yesterday. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Amolik, who retired from police service three years ago, is currently working with a private firm.

Shettiar allegedly revealed during interrogation that Amolik masterminded the killing, police said, and Qureshi was held after that.

The exact motive behind the murder is being established and all possible angles probed.
Amolik and Loharia may have had a heated argument about a month ago following an accident, due to which Loharia allegedly threatened the former policeman with a revolver, police said.

"However, this is a far-fetched theory and quite an unbelievable one but we are probing all the angles like if there is any professional rivalry or some property dispute between the two," according to a police source.

Shettiar had earlier said that Loharia had cheated him on some amount but later he took Amolik's name and detailed his role in the murder, the source said.

Amolik has been remanded in police custody till February 22 while Qureshi will be produced in court tomorrow.