Sharpshooters given Rs 30 lakh to kill Jayanti Bhanushali: SIT

Special Investigation Team (SIT) officers on Saturday arrested two sharpshooters in the former BJP MLA Jayanti Bhanushali murder case. Bhanushali had been found dead on Sayaji Nagari Express train on January 7. The two arrested were identified as Shashikant Kamble and Shaikh Asraf Anwar, both residents of Pune.

As per senior officials on Saturday, they were tipped off about two accused in Bhanushali murder case being seen in a hotel in Dang. Regarding that initially, the team of local police was sent to the spot to verify the information. After getting confirmation, both the accused were arrested from a hotel room. This was a joint operation conducted by Railway Police and Anti- Terrorism Squad(ATS).

After the arrest, both were brought to Ahmedabad and were handed over to the SIT for further investigation. Ashish Bhatia, DIG of CID crime and railway police said, "During primary interrogation of accused, they revealed that Chhabil Patel had given them the contract to kill Bhanushali. A deal of Rs 30 lakh was fixed by Patel with them and during the meeting Rs 5 lakh was handed over as an advance payment."

Further investigation revealed that Chhabil came in contact with the sharpshoots through a common friend and in the month of November, a meeting was conducted at a Mumbai mall. The contract and advance payment was then made by Patel.

On December 27, Shashikant Kamble was put up at Chhabil's farmhouse in the Reldi area. On December 31, Shaikh Asraf Anwar his partner arrived in Bhuj with the guns. The plan was to kill Bhanushali on December 31 while he was travelling on the train, but they were clueless about the coach he was travelling in. "For seven days they stayed at a farmhouse. On January 7, Bhanushali was travelling in H-1 Coach of the Sayaji Nagari Express train and was seated inside the G cabin. The two accused got inside the train from Bhachau station while the third members parked the bike in Samakhiali as per the plan," said Ashish Bhatia.

They got inside the train, shot Bhanushali on chest and head, stopped the train by pulling the chain and fled.

ACCUSED ARRESTED

• Police received a were tipped off about two accused in Bhanushali murder case being seen in a hotel in Dang. 
   
• After confirmation, both the accused were arrested from a hotel room in Dang. This was a joint operation conducted by Railway Police and Anti- Terrorism Squad (ATS).