Pradeep Purnekar Murder: SIT Recovers Pistol & Phone Allegedly Used To Shoot Sena (UBT) Leader From Raigad

Mumbai: In a major development in the murder case of Thane Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has recovered a pistol and a mobile phone allegedly linked to the shooting.

The pistol and phone were recovered from a cattle shed in Karnala in Raigad district on Tuesday, the Hindustan Times reported. Investigators were said to have located the items based on information that the arrested persons provided during questioning.

Suspect allegedly revealed hideout

SIT head and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amarsinh Jadhav said that during interrogation, Nitesh Pawar, one of the suspects, revealed the location where the items had allegedly been hidden.

“Accordingly, our team travelled to Raigad and recovered the items from the hideout, a stable in Karnala. We are probing if the pistol was the same weapon used in the commission of the crime and will accordingly proceed with the investigation and legal process,” Jadhav said, according to the Hindustan Times.

The murder

Purnekar, who was the Thane division head of Shiv Sena (UBT), was reportedly shot multiple times outside his office in Thane. He later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Following the murder, police arrested Prakash alias Pappya Shinde within hours. Later, two more men named Nikhil Yadav and Nitesh Pawar alias Bhavdya were also arrested.

A local court in Thane on Monday extended Shinde's police custody.

Family Alleges Involvement Of Ex-Thane Mayor

Purnekar's family has alleged that former mayor and Shiv Sena leader Meenakshi Shinde and her husband, Rajendra Shinde, were behind the murder. Meenakshi Shinde has denied the allegations.

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