RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.19: The Special investigation team (SIT) has arrested three persons from Aurangabad in Bihar in connection with a juice shop owner murder case.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kishore Kaushal informed the breakthrough by organising a press conference at his office.
Those arrested included Ranchi Juice Centre owners Ashok Kumar Gupta and Dharmendra Kumar Gupta and Vijay Oraon, who helped hide the bike used in the crime. A country-made pistol and 14 rounds of live cartridges were recovered from their possession.
The murder was committed on August 11 near Science City in Morabadi under the Bariatu police station area. The victims were a juice trader Mukesh and his staff Rohan.
Producing the accused, SSP Kaushal said the reason behind the murder was business rivalry. “Dharmendra and Ashok got upset with the growing juice business of Mukesh. This led to murder of Mukesh and his staff,” SSP Kaushal said.
“Mukesh had opened three juice centres in Morabadi and he was preparing to open the fourth juice centre. The owner of Ranchi Juice Centre objected to this. Dispute arose. Finally, Mukesh and his staff were murdered. In the investigation of CCTV footage, it has also been revealed that both the criminals first talked to Mukesh and Rohan and then shot both of them dead,” Kishore added.
Sharing how the situation arose leading to rivalry and double murder, SSP Kushal said: “Chatra residents Dinesh Saw and his brother Mukesh Saw, had been running three counters in the Morabadi ground under the name of Mumbai Juice and Shake. Ashok and Dharmendra also had one juice shop in the same ground. When the shops were removed from the Morabadi ground after the murder of gangster Kalu Lama, all the shops were removed. Dinesh and Mukesh got registered with the Municipal Corporation and made their juice shops permanent. On the other hand, Ashok and Dharmendra’s shop could not be set up despite efforts. Ashok used to think that because of Mukesh and Dinesh, his juice counter could not be set up at the Morabadi ground. For this reason, enmity grew. In recent days, Dinesh and Mukesh had opened another new counter, making Ashok and Dharmendra totally upset.”
SSP Kaushal said he had already suspended two police officials for their failure to prevent the murder despite prior information.
“Dinesh had given a statement that a complaint was given to the Lalpur police station on July 1. In which he informed the police about the threats he was receiving. But the police did not take any action in this direction. On his statement in-charge of Lalpur police station and Morabadi TOP were suspended,” he said.
