Pune: A 24-year-old unemployed youth was arrested on Wednesday on the charge of helping three accused procure country-made pistols from Madhya Pradesh in the Sept 1 murder of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar . The city police made the arrest. A special court sent the youth, Abhishek alias Aba Narayan Khond of Shivane, to police custody remand till Oct 1.
Assistant commissioner of police (crime) Ganesh Ingale on Thursday said investigations have revealed that Khond had visited a place in MP with Akash Mhaske, Sameer Kale and Vivek Kadam — three accused arrested earlier, and procured firearms through their contacts. Ingale said Khond was missing after his involvement came to light during the custodial interrogation of some of the accused in Vanraj's murder. He was taken into custody following a tip-off.
The total number of accused arrested in the murder case has reached 21 now, while two minor boys have been detained in an observation home. The ACP said that Khond's custodial interrogation was essential to trace the link to the source of weapons and zero in on those involved in selling weapons to criminals in the city. "His interrogation will also help us establish the identity of other people part of the conspiracy to eliminate the former corporator," he added.
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