AHMEDABAD: What initially looked like a case of hit and run near Rapid Action Force camp in Vastral on the morning of June 24, has turned out to be a case of cold-blooded murder after the analysis of CCTV footage revealed a questionable sequence of events.
Shailesh Prajapati, 43, a labour contractor, was mown down by a pick-up truck while he was taking his early morning walk.
The investigation by the crime branch reveals that it was a contract killing carried out for Rs 10 lakh allegedly at the behest of the victim’s wife and her alleged lover.
Everything went according to their plan, except, CCTV footage revealed one of the accused walking behind Shailesh moments before the murder. After following Shailesh for a certain distance, he climbed onto the passenger seat of a pick-up truck parked nearby. Within a few seconds, the vehicle knocked Shailesh down and ran over him.
The crime branch on Monday arrested Sharda alias Swati Prajapati, 40, and Nitin Prajapati, 46, both residents of Vastral, who had allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh for the murder.
The complainant in the case is the victim’s father-in-law Ramesh Mojidara. He had stated in his FIR filed that Shailesh had left home at around 6am for a walk.
Around 7am, Mojidara received a call informing him that his son-in-law had been hit by a speeding vehicle. Shailesh was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Investigating officials, who analyzed the video clips that had gone viral, suspected something fishy as Shailesh was seen walking on the periphery of the road that day and there were no other vehicles in sight. Prima facie it did not look like a hit and run but “an intentional accident”, said a crime branch official.
Investigation revealed that the victim’s wife, Sharda, was in a relationship with Nitin. They had allegedly contacted Yasin alias Kaniyo, a resident of Gomtipur, and handed over Shailesh’s photograph to him. They also gave him details about Shailesh’s morning walk route. During interrogation, Sharda and Nitin confessed to their involvement in the murder and told the cops that they had been in a relationship for two years. When Shailesh learnt about the affair, it led to a major dispute between him and Sharda, said a police source. Since Sharda could no longer meet Nitin, they hatched a plan to get rid of him six months ago. They paid Rs 10 lakh to Yasin a month ago to execute the plan, the officials said.
Yasin is on the run while the identity of the other accused is not yet known. Nitin and Shailesh were friends and hailed from Ranpur village in Botad. Nitin was a frequent visitor at Shailesh’s house and had also made him a partner in his real estate business.
