1 week Ago By Gitesh Shelke
Pune: The city crime branch on Sunday arrested Sangam Waghmare (20), a resident of Ambegaon Pathar, on the charge of providing firearms to the assailants involved in the brutal murder of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar in Nana Peth on Sept 1. The police have recovered four country-made pistols during searches in Ambegaon Pathar, Narhe and other areas. They are now looking for members of a B-team that was kept ready in the event of the first group failing to execute the killing, a senior officer said.
On Sept 2 and 3, the police had arrested total 15 suspects, including Vanraj's sister, Sanjeevani, her husband, Jayant Komkar, and Jayant's brothers Prakash and Ganesh, besides Somnath Gaikwad, a former member of a gang led by Vanraj's father, Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar, and Aniket Dudhbhate, who led the assailants. With Waghmare, a total of 16 people have been arrested so far in the case. Three minors (one aged 16 and two aged 17 years) have also been detained.
They are now lodged in an observation home. Police investigations so far revealed that Gaikwad's rivalry with Suryakant Andekar and Vanraj's property dispute with his two sisters, married to the Komkar brothers — Jayant and Ganesh led to the former corporator's murder. Additional commissioner of police (crime) Shailesh Balkawade told TOI, "Waghmare was in touch with Gaikwad and Dudhbhate.
After the initial arrests, our teams conducted searches in Narhe, Ambegaon Pathar and other areas. This led to the recovery of four country-made pistols. Investigations revealed that Waghmare had gone to Madhya Pradesh to procure firearms for Gaikwad.
" A senior crime branch officer said, "The firearms were delivered to Gaikwad's men about a year ago. Some of the men practised firing with those arms in the Pune Rural area. We are yet to ascertain that spot.
The questioning of suspects revealed that Gaikwad, Dudhbhate and others made elaborate plans to eliminate Vanraj. They even prepared a B-team to execute the murder in case the first plan failed." A crime branch team is trying to ascertain the names of the B-team members.
"The police will make more arrests in the case once their identities are established," he said..
