Nagpur: Corporator's house fired at, plot hatched at aide's office, Rs 4 lakh contract

A crime branch investigation into the firing at the house of Nagpur Congress corporator Shubham Motghare has found that notorious criminal and drug peddler Vishal Gupta alias Falli offered a contract of Rs 4 lakh to have the shooting carried out. The investigation also found that the entire plan was hatched at the office of Ashok Yadav alias Bawaji. Both Bawaji and Falli have been named accused in the case but remain absconding, and police are searching for them.

Seven people have been arrested in the case so far: Ankush Tomaskar, Amit Thackeray, Rishi Nagdeve, Romit alias Pulya Vahane, Ketan Mate, Rishabh Kaithal and Kartik Tomaskar. During questioning, Ankush Tomaskar told police that he owed Falli Rs 4 lakh. Falli had been demanding the money for some time, but Ankush was unable to arrange it. Police say Falli allegedly told Ankush to fire at Motghare's house, and that carrying out the firing would clear the Rs 4 lakh debt, otherwise he would have to repay the money.

Police say the entire conspiracy was planned at Bawaji's office, where Falli, Ankush and some of their associates were present at the time. On this basis, police have also named Ashok Yadav alias Bawaji and Vishal Gupta alias Falli as accused in the case.

The arrested accused have long criminal records and face serious cases registered against them previously. Falli has already served a jail term in a murder case and was out on bail at the time. Last year, police had also taken action against him under the MPDA. The crime branch is now preparing to invoke MCOCA against the accused. It is not yet clear why Shubham Motghare's house was targeted, and police are seeking an answer to that question.