In a remarkable display of police efficiency, the Andheri police solved a murder case within just eight hours, leading to the arrest of two individuals including the victim's own cousin. The brutal crime, which occurred in Mumbai's Andheri area, was motivated by a shocking personal betrayal.
The Grisely Discovery
A 28-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh employed at a poultry shop in Andheri (East) was found dead with head injuries on an open plot near Marol-Sahar pipeline on Wednesday. The victim, identified as Mohit Soni, had been murdered in what initially appeared to be a case without any clear leads.
Investigators from Andheri police station faced a challenging situation with minimal evidence at the crime scene. However, their breakthrough came when they analyzed the victim's mobile phone call history.
The Digital Trail and Rapid Investigation
Police examination of Soni's mobile device revealed at least 15 calls received from his cousin, Manoj Soni, within few hours prior to the murder. The cellular tower location data confirmed that the accused was present in Mumbai on the day of the crime, contradicting any potential alibi.
Under the supervision of DCP (Zone X) Datta Nalawade, a dedicated police team swung into action. The investigation team included ACP Gajanan Pawar, senior inspector Umesh Machinder, inspectors Vinod Patil and Satish Kawankar, assistant inspector Sanjay Kandalkar, sub-inspectors Kishore Parkale, Samadhan Supe, Suhas Patil and detection staff.
The team meticulously scanned at least 25 CCTV footage from the crime scene to Andheri railway station and Bandra Terminus, tracing the accused's escape route from Mumbai after committing the murder.
The Shocking Motive and Arrest
Investigation uncovered that Manoj Soni (25) had planned the killing after developing a relationship with his cousin's wife in Uttar Pradesh. Preliminary investigation revealed that Manoj Soni had arrived in Mumbai on November 24 with his aide Rohit Pal (24), both hailing from Bahraich district, with the specific intention of killing his cousin.
"The accused partied with Soni for over six hours and after getting him sloshed they took him to an isolated place on Marol-Sahar pipeline where they killed him," revealed police officials.
The police team tracked Manoj Soni's mobile location to Bandra Terminus before it was switched off. Utilizing a police team already present in Uttar Pradesh for another case, the authorities diverted them to Lucknow railway station with the accused's photograph.
Both accused were apprehended on a long-distance train arriving at Lucknow on Thursday, just before they could reach their home village located 100 km from Lucknow. The police team is currently returning to Mumbai with the arrested individuals.
A police officer from Andheri police station stated, "Victim's cousin Manoj was in relationship with his wife in UP and had planned to kill him. He will be interrogated to know whether there is role of victim's wife in the crime."
The investigation continues as authorities examine the possible involvement of other individuals in planning and executing this family tragedy that ended a young life in Mumbai.
