Baramati councillor, 5 others held for aiding suicide

PUNE: The Baramati police have arrested six men, including a councillor from Baramati, for abetting the

suicide

of a local businessman, and were looking for their three accomplices.

Businessman Preetam Shah (55) consumed poison on October 22, and died in a hospital on November 1. He had a petrol pump and a cement supply business.

Additional superintendent of police, Milind Mohite, told TOI, “We have arrested Jayesh alias Kunal Kale, Jaysingh Ashokrav Kate Deshmukh, Sanjay Kate, Pravin Galinde, Hanumant Gawli and Sunil Awale.”

Deshmukh is a sitting councillor and linked to the NCP, while Kate is chairman of APMC in Baramati. A suicide note was found by the family when the family opened his shop on November 17. The note, the police said, mentioned that he had borrowed money from residents, including some of those arrested, and nine persons were harassing him to repay. "We are verifying the sum borrowed from each person,” Mohite said.