4 held for murder of CIDCO official

Accused Prem Patil said official had taken Rs 3 lakh from him, promising that his client would get land under rehab

Five days after a CIDCO official was found murdered in Navi Mumbai, the Panvel police on Friday arrested four in connection with the crime.

Atul Mhatre (35), responsible for the development of land acquired under CIDCO’s rehabilitation scheme, went missing from Panvel on February 8. Two days later, his body was found in Manghar with several stab wounds.

As per the statement given to the police by main accused Prem Patil, 24, a real estate agent, Mhatre had taken Rs 3 lakh from him promising him that his client would get land under the scheme. However, when he learned that his client’s name was not in the list of allottees, he plotted to kill Mhatre.

The police said Patil roped in Nitin Bhoir (23), Andy Cruz (27) and Kunal Salunke (25) to execute his plan. Patil allegedly paid Rs 1 lakh to Cruz and promised to pay Rs 2 lakh after the job.

Giving details of the investigation, the police said that after Mhatre went missing his car was found abandoned near his office on the Uran Panvel Road. They also recovered Mhatre’s wig and chappals from the vehicle.

The police then went through his mobile phone call records and rounded up a few suspects but could not make any headway. However, a tip-off led them to Patil, who confessed to the crime. He also revealed the names of others involved in the crime.

“The four men picked up Mahtre near Vahad village in Panvel and took him in Patil’s car. It was  in the car that Cruz stabbed Mahtre to death. The suspects then threw the body near Manghar,” said R Gharavle, senior inspector of Panvel police station.

Patil has told the police that Mhatre’s senior had showed him the list of people who would be getting land under the rehabilitation scheme, after which he had argument with Mhatre in CIDCO office.

“We had called Mhatre’s senior for questioning but he did not mention the altercation. We will investigate further to see if any official is involved in the case,” added Gharavle.

Speaking to Mirror, Mhatre’s brother said, “Atul had mentioned that Patil was forcing him to get him a plot, but he could not do so as the documents submitted by him were bogus. The police should investigate the role of the officers who are involved in the dealing.”
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