Navi Mumbai Head Constable & 3 Associates Arrested For Abduction, Murder, Dumping Body In Satara Well

Navi Mumbai: A head constable attached to Rabale MIDC police station in Navi Mumbai and three of his associates were arrested for allegedly abducting, strangling and burning a 25-year-old man before dumping his body in a well in Satara district. The accused were apprehended within 72 hours of the crime following a swift investigation by the Satara Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Lonand police.

Accused identified

The arrested accused have been identified as Head Constable Bapu Bhise (40), Vijay Pawar (36), Kiran Vikas Gaikwad (27) and Srinivas Lone (25). The victim, Santosh Bobade (25), was allegedly in an illicit relationship with Bhise’s girlfriend.

According to police, Bhise bore a grudge against Bobade as the latter had allegedly bad-mouthed him to the woman and had also informed Bhise’s wife about the relationship. Police said the four accused had been planning the murder for over a week and were waiting for an opportunity to execute it.

Partially burnt body with tied limbs found in well by farmer on February 6

The crime came to light on February 6 when a local farmer discovered a partially burnt body with hands and legs tied inside a well near Chopade Vasti in Sukhed village of Khandala taluka. Initially, Lonand police registered an accidental death case, but it was later converted into a murder case after preliminary findings pointed to foul play.

Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi and Additional SP Dr Vaishali Kadukar directed the LCB to take over the probe.

“The team analysed CCTV footage from nearby areas and entry-exit routes after the farm owner stated that the well was empty a day prior. This confirmed that the body had been dumped during the night. Even before the family realised he was missing and could file a complaint, we had found the body and initiated the investigation,” said SP Doshi.

Honda City car registered in Bhise's name traced

Analysis of CCTV footage of vehicular movement led police to a Honda City car registered in Bhise’s name. He was traced to Kalamboli and taken into custody with the assistance of local police. During interrogation, Bhise allegedly confessed to the crime.

Police said Bhise lured Bobade to Kalamboli for a meeting, where he had also called the three co-accused. After consuming alcohol, the victim was allegedly taken to a pre-decided location where he was tied with ropes and strangled inside the car. The accused then transported the body to Satara, seating it in the rear passenger seat between two of them.

Bhise, a native of Satara, was allegedly aware of the well as he had seen it during his travels to his hometown. The accused allegedly set the body on fire before dumping it into the well in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Based on Bhise’s disclosure, police arrested one accused from Sakharwadi in Phaltan taluka and two others from Pune.

A case has been registered at Lonand police station under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. All four accused were produced before the Khandala-Satara magistrate court and remanded to seven days of police custody.

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