At around 4.30 am on November 27, Satish Thopte was brutally murdered at Sushila Park Housing Society in Khadakwasala, Pune. The suspects, who came on four motorcycles, shot the 37-year-old landowner with sharp weapons and left him covered in blood. Thopte was rushed to a nearby private hospital where he was declared ‘brought dead on arrival’.
During the investigation into Thopete’s murder, the Pune police found that it was a hit deal ordered by Supari or his business associate and distant relative Bhausaheb Kiwale. A few days before the murder, Thapte made a WhatsApp status insulting Kiwale for not being able to pay the loan, police have also discovered.
“Bhausaheb Kiwale used to call 10 times a day when he needed money. And when it comes to payment, you’ve shown who you really are. Now when I asked to pay, you threatened to kill me? Aren’t you ashamed to say that you can’t pay for a 5 million SUV? The police said that they read the status message of the drop.
“In 2021, Kiwale was in dire need of money for some reason. At that time, Thopete helped Kiwale take a loan on a flat owned by Thopete. This loan was taken from a non-banking financial institution. Kiwale promised to pay monthly installments, but stopped by paying only a few installments. Thopte started receiving notices from the finance company,” said an official involved in the investigation.
Kivale even threatened to kill Thapte after repeatedly calling him and warning him to file a complaint with the police. A few days before the brutal attack, Thopte had posted a WhatsApp status taunting Kiwale and also used some abusive words in it. “Investigation has shown that it was because Kiwale gave the order to hit Thopeta,” added the official.
Thopeta has a wife and two daughters.
Soon after Thopete’s murder, teams from Haveli police station and crime branch of Pune rural police started working on important leads received from CCTV footage. Dev Tambat, a criminal, appeared in the CCTV clip. In search of him and his friends, the police reached Khed Shivpur where they found all four assailants. The arrested 27-year-old Bala Shailesh Jagtap alias Jeevan, 24-year-old Akshay Balaji Shelar alias Babu, 19-year-old Sohail Sajid Ali Zora alias Fukya and 20-year-old Devidas Laxman Tambat alias Deva were arrested within 24 hours. After the murder. According to the police, the assailant had paid four lakh rupees each for the murder of Thopte.
“After some time we also arrested Kiwale based on various leads. At present, Kiwale and the four attackers are in judicial custody,” said an official from Haveli police station.
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