Sawant’s murder accused bail plea nixed

Mumbai: A sessions court in Dindoshi has rejected the bail application filed by Brijesh Singh arrested in connection with murder of Shiv Sena leader Sachin Saw-ant. Two persons had shot dead Sawant in Kandivali in April this year.

The prosecution case is that Sawant was killed over business rivalry. His murder was case of contract killing in which the shooters were allegedly promised a sum of Rs 10 lakh for the job and Rs 3 lakh was paid in advance.

According to the police, Sawant was into business of redevelopment of SRA projects and one of the arrested accused Brijesh Patel was also looking after the SRA projects. Patel had lesser tenants with him, whereas Sawant had more number of tenants required to get redevelopment project. It is alleged that Patel planned to eliminate Sawant so that he could get all the tenants. Hence he conspired to kill Sawant and contacted contract killers.

Singh’s lawyer contended that Singh has been falsely implicated in the case. His lawyer had also argued that only on the basis of his statement given to the police that he had received the money implicated in the case, while the statement given to police is not admissible as evidence in the court.

After hearing arguments sessions judge H.B. Gaikwad observed that the statements of witnesses show that it was a contract killing and therefore, recovery of money at the instance of the applicant, prima facie shows his involvement in the commission of offence.