The South District Police has detained six suspects for questioning in the murder case of Deepak Bhardwaj (62), big-time Delhi realtor. They have also confiscated four cars, which are being examined by forensic experts to ascertain which one was used. Raids are still on in Haridwar, Rajasthan, Haryana and outer Delhi.
Those seen brandishing pistols and escaping in a Skoda laura car have been identified as Sunil, alias Sonu, and Purushottam, alias Monu, while the driver was Rakesh. Investigators have also managed to identify the contract killers, while the motive is more or less clear. However, the person who gave the ‘supari’ to bump off Bhardwaj is yet to be identified.
Over 20 people have been questioned, including Bhardwaj’s wife, his elder son Hitesh and younger son Nitesh.
On the face of it, it appears to be personal rivalry over property. Hitesh lived with his mother Ramesh Kumari while Nitesh lived separately. It still remains to be seen whether the simmering dispute over property that boiled over into bloodshed was within the family, or there were other players involved.
Police have scanned all of Bhardwaj’s property deals and calls on his cellphones during the last few days. Investigation is veering round to some top property dealers and movement of a sizeable sum of cash involving Bhardwaj, according to sources on Thursday. Those involved in investigations said they had checked registration number Dl-3CA-7062 of the grey Skoda laura used by the killers to enter Bhardwaj’s farmhouse at Rajokri. This was found to be fake. But on scanning the last four digits of the Skoda series with the transport authority, the four-year-old vehicle was found registered in the name of a resident of North-West Delhi’s Trinagar.
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Six held; cops seek mastermind
This person had sold the car to one Rakesh, of Jind district in Haryana, for Rs 8 lakh. A team then raided several places in Jind.
It has now emerged that the killers escaped to Jind and later abandoned the car and took a Santro to go further. Sleuths have recovered this car too and it has been brought to Vasant Kunj Police Station. Rakesh too was picked up from Jind and after sustained interrogation, disclosed the identity of two hired killers as Sunil, Purushottam and associates.
One Narinder, of Bakshi Mohalla in Jind, was also raided. Jind District Police (Headquarters) Deputy SP Om Singh Balhra said this joint raid led to three suspects.
“The raid was conducted on the intervening night of March 26-27. The search of one Narender led to detention of Dharamvir, Anil and Virender. A white Santro car was also seized, which the killers are believed to have used. Anil is a resident of Hansi town and Virender belongs to Jhajjar,” the DSP added.
South District Police officers, however, refused to comment on whether the detained persons were Tuesday’s shooters.
Police are also investigating whether a female friend of Bhardwaj was involved. According to them, Bhardwaj did not part with his money or property leading to friction with his wife and sons. The realtor had allegedly asked his wife and sons to return ownership of the school they were running, as it had been set up by him.
Police have scanned footage of 25 CCTVs installed in the farmhouse and managed to identify the long-haired assassin with a pistol in his hand as Sunil, while the one with cropped hair is Purushottam. “We are piecing together several stories and the real picture has more or less emerged,” a senior police officer added.