Bhayandar : When cops released the sketches of two suspected shooters involved in the Vijay alias Bunty Pradhan murder case in Mira Road, it was assumed that they are within the striking distance of cracking the case. However, more than two months after the 45-year-old property dealer was shot dead outside a bar in Mira Road on April 13, the killers and the actual masterminds still elude the Thane (rural) police.
Moreover, the investigators are still to get a significant breakthrough in the case even as the sequence of events which led to the shootout are yet to be clearly figured out.
A resident of Andheri, Pradhan was shot dead immediately after he stepped outside Pushpak Bar near Golden Nest Circle at about 9:20 pm on April 13. While Pradhan’s cousin, Sachin Vijaykar (32), was injured two others including J Khan (32) and Rajesh Juhari (43) were fortunate to escape unhurt. While Pradhan’s notorious past clearly indicated his connections with criminal elements, he was said to be involved in dubious land deals in the Vasai-Virar belt and also had several serious offences registered against him at police stations in Mumbai during the early 90s. More than 40 people including local politicians, property dealers, builders and history-sheeters have been questioned so far.
Based on eye witness accounts the investigating team on April 27 had released sketches of the two suspects who were among the five who actually pulled the trigger.
Suresh Golani
