Palghar Shiv Sena leader`s brother held for his murder

Palghar Shiv Sena leader Ashok Dhodi`s brother Avinash Dhodi, the prime accused in the abduction and murder of his brother, was held by the police five months after the incident, police said, reported the PTI.

Avinash was apprehended from Silvassa in the wee hours of Sunday after evading police for five months, officials said.

The 60-year-old was held from Morkhal following a tip-off, said Yatish Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police of Palghar, according to the PTI.

He was remanded to police custody by the magistrate till June 14, police said.

With Avinash`s arrest, the number of people held in connection with the crime that occurred in January rose to six, while three others remain absconding.

The dead body of Ashok Dhodi (52) was found in a water-filled quarry along with his car in neighbouring Gujarat on January 23, four days after he went missing.

Deshmukh said that Avinash Dhodi prima facie bore the grudge against his brother who had applied to Vevji Gram Panchayat in Dahanu for the cancellation of a house lease, which led to Avinash`s eviction from the property, according to the PTI.

“On January 19, when Ashok Dhodi was travelling to his house from Dahanu, the accused and his accomplices intercepted the car at Vevji Ghat and abducted him,” the police official said.

They murdered Ashok Dhodi and dumped his body and car into the water-filled quarry at Sarigam Wadiapada in Gujarat.

An FIR was registered with the Gholwad police station under sections 140 (3), 140 (1) (kidnapping or abducting to murder or for ransom, etc.), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 103 (1) (murder) and 238 (A) (kidnap) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on January 27, the SP said, as per the PTI.

He said that a special team was formed, and searches were conducted at Gholwad, Umargaon, Vapi (Gujarat), Diu Daman, Silvassa, Indore, and Rajasthan.

Deshmukh revealed that Avinash Dhodi had been detained by Gholwad Police in Palghar district immediately after his brother went missing, but he escaped from police custody.

He said a police official was suspended and eight others were show-caused for the security lapse, while the then in-charge of the Gholwad police station was transferred, the news agency reported on Sunday.

(with PTI inputs)

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