Jaipur: Kota police on Saturday arrested three more persons, including a woman, and detained a minor in connection with the murder of Chandresal Math mahant (head priest) Devanand Maharaj.
Details of Arrests
Kota City SP Tejaswini Gautam identified the newly arrested accused as Aditya Verma, his wife Mikal George, and Ankit Bairwa, while a minor was detained under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act. “The woman (Mikal) arrested in the crime also played an important role by washing off clothes that had bloodstains and providing shelter to the accused,” the SP said.
Earlier Arrests
The alleged mastermind of the murder, Santosh Rai, was already arrested earlier in the case. Mahant Devanand was stabbed to death at the Math on the night of June 5. According to investigators, Rai allegedly hatched the conspiracy and paid Rs 1 lakh to Verma to eliminate the head priest. Police alleged that Verma subsequently recruited Bairwa, Pushpendra Singh alias Prince, and the minor to execute the plan. Singh was also arrested along with Rai earlier.
Conspiracy and Execution
Investigators said that on June 1, Rai allegedly took the accused to Chandresal Math and familiarised them with the head priest’s daily routine and the layout of the premises. According to police, the accused arrived at the Math on two motorcycles on the night of June 5. They allegedly locked the room of Nandanvan Maharaj from the outside before entering the room where Devanand was sleeping. Police alleged that the head priest was repeatedly stabbed before the accused fled the scene.
Multistate Search Operation
Following the murder, police launched a multistate search operation after learning that the accused were attempting to flee to Maharashtra and Goa. Gautam said a special police team tracked the suspects across several cities, including Ujjain, Indore, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Ahilyanagar. After pursuing them for nearly 2,000 km, the team, with assistance from the Govt Railway Police and local police, apprehended the accused near Daund railway station in Maharashtra.
Investigation Details
Due to the sensitivity of the case, police formed a Special Investigation Team comprising nearly 100 personnel. The probe involved the Cyber Cell, District Special Team, Forensic Science Laboratory, and personnel from multiple police stations.
