Nerul killings: Hunt on for sixth accused

Navi Mumbai: Nerul police and crime branch teams have launched a hunt for a sixth accused in the double murder of real estate agents Sumit Jain (39) and Amir Khanzada (42), who was also an office bearer of Raigad district NCP (SP). Police had arrested Jain's business partner Vithal Nakade and four contract killers allegedly hired by Jain through Nakade to eliminate Khanzada.
A police officer privy to the case said during the interrogation of the arrested accused, they learned that the sixth absconding accused is a Bhiwandi resident. A police team reached his home on Thursday, but found it locked. As the accused hails from UP, he might have fled to his hometown, said cops, adding a special team has been formed to trace his whereabouts using technical expertise.
The officer said, "One of the arrested accused, Jaisingh alias Raja Mudliyar (38), claimed the absconding accused had shot dead Khanzada. Only after his arrest will we be able to ascertain it. CCTV footage of railway stations is being scanned for leads to find him." Cops have recovered the weapon used to kill Khanzada and sent it for forensic tests and fingerprints. — George Mendonca