Gangster Sharad Mohol murder: Prime suspect among six held in Navi Mumbai

Mumbai/Pune: The Navi Mumbai Police nabbed a prime suspect and five others in connection with the gangster Sharad Mohol murder case which is being investigated by the Pune crime branch, an official said on Monday.

Acting on specific information, a team of Panvel City Police on Sunday evening nabbed some of the accused from the Panvel highway and others outside a dance bar in Vashi in Navi Mumbai, he said, adding that the six accused were handed over to the Pune crime branch.

Pune Police had arrested eight persons, including prime suspect Sahil Polekar (20) and two lawyers, from a spot on the Pune-Satara highway along with firearms and live bullets.

"The persons nabbed by Navi Mumbai Police include the main suspect Ramdas Marne believed to be involved in the conspiracy and execution of Mohol's killing," the official said.

Mohol, a history-sheeter with cases of kidnapping, attempt to murder and murder registered against his name, was shot at by three persons near his house in Sutardara in the Kothrud area on January 5. He died hours later in a hospital from bullet wounds in the chest and shoulder.

Pune Police's crime branch was hot on the trail of the accused persons and received information that they were in Navi Mumbai, the official said.

The information was passed on to Navi Mumbai Police following which a trap was laid near Panvel highway.

"Police spotted vehicles of the accused by the highway and nabbed some of them while the rest were apprehended from outside a dance bar in Vashi," the official said.

Meanwhile, Pune police on Monday said they had arrested Vitthal Shelar (36) and Ramdas Marne (36), both residents of Mulshi, for alleged involvement in the murder of Mohol.

"We found some links following which Shelar and Marne were held. The number of persons arrested in the case now stands at 15," a Pune Crime Branch official said.

Shelar used to run his own gang and came into the limelight when he joined the BJP in 2017 at a function in Maval in the presence of then MLA late Girish Bapat.

Mohol (40) rose to fame after he and his aide were accused in the murder of suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Mohammad Qateel Siddiqui inside Yerawada jail here. He was later acquitted in the case.

As per police, Mohol, who hailed from a Mutha village in Mulshi tehsil, was associated with history-sheeter Sandip Mohol, who was killed by the rival Kishor Marne gang in 2006.

Sharad Mohol took over the reins of the Mohol gang and avenged the murder of Sandip by killing Kishor Marne in October 2010.