Pune Crime: Builder Kidnapped, Body Chopped Into Pieces, Thrown Into Panshet Pond; 3 Arrested | FPJ Photo
Pune Rural Police on Wednesday said they have solved the murder case of builder and government contractor Vitthal Sakharam Polekar (70), who was kidnapped and brutally murdered on November 14 last year.
The accused have been identified as Yogesh Bhame (32), a resident of Donje, Shubham Popat Sonawane (24) and Milind Devidas Thorat (24), both residents of Ahilyanagar.
According to the police, on November 14, Polekar (resident of Polekarwadi, Donje) went for his routine morning walk around 5:30am towards Sinhagad Fort but did not return home. A missing complaint was filed later at the Haveli Police Station.
‘Jaguar car or Rs two crore as ransom’
Investigations revealed that Bhame, who is the neighbour of the victim, kidnapped him, demanding a Jaguar car or Rs two crore as ransom. Bhame had also issued threats against Polekar and his son Prashant.
Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police, told the media, “During the probe, CCTV footage revealed a white Swift car leaving the vicinity of Polekar’s residence and travelling towards Sinhagad Fort. The vehicle was later identified as belonging to Ganesh Muralidhar Chormale, but it had been used by the accused Yogesh Bhame. The car’s movements were traced to Nashik and subsequently impounded.”
“With help from informants and railway police, two accomplices, Shubham Popat Sonawane and Milind Devidas Thorat, were detained while attempting to flee via train from Nashik to Gorakhpur. Both are currently in judicial custody at Yerawada Jail. The main accused, Bhame, escaped after committing the crime. Police received information about his whereabouts in Kolhapur. On January 7, Bhame was intercepted near the Sarola bridge on the Pune-Satara Highway by the Haveli Police team and the local crime branch.”
‘Murdered within 8-10 hours after the kidnapping’
Additional SP Ramesh Chopade, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “Accused Bhame has a history of nine criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, fraud and illegal firearm possession. Three to four months before committing the crime, Bhame had gone to Polekar’s office at Prabhat Road and had threatened to murder him, but later the issue was sorted.”
Giving details about the murder, Chopade added, “Polekar was murdered by the kidnapper within 8-10 hours after the kidnapping. His body was chopped into small pieces using a koyta (machete) and thrown into Panshet Pond.”
“The accused have been presented in court, with Bhame being remanded to police custody for further questioning. Investigations are ongoing to uncover additional details about the crime and the possible involvement of other suspects,” he further said.
