Pune: The city police have arrested six people, including a father. for allegedly awarding 'supari' (contract) worth Rs 75 lakh to assailants to kill his own 38-year-old son.
It may be recalled that on April 16, two unidentified men, wearing helmets and disguised as Swiggy delivery boys, shot at Dheeraj Dineshchandra Argade, a builder by profession, on Jungli Maharaj Road of city, but he escaped unhurt.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday accompanied with DCP (Crime) Amol Zende, city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said that police have arrested six people, including the deceased's father Dineshchandra Aragde alias Balasaheb.
During investigation, Crime Branch Unit-1 team checked CCTV footage and identified one accused Praveen Tukaram Kudale, who confessed to committing the crime with his accomplice Yogesh Damodar.
During interrogation, it was revealed that victim Dheeraj was also earlier attacked with a sharp weapon and sustained injuries on his right hand, police then arrested another accused Chetan Arun Pokle.
The investigation further revealed that contract to kill Dhiraj Argade was given through Prashant Vilas Gadge and Ashok Laxman Thombre.
Police then arrested Gadge and Thombre, who confessed that they were given contract to kill Dheeraj by his father.
The conspiracy to kill Dheeraj was hatched by his father, Dineshchandra Shankarao Argade, who had paid Rs 75 lakh to killers to eliminate his own son over property issues.
Following this, police arrested Dineshchandra who confessed to giving a contract of Rs 75 lakh to assailants to kill his son in both cases.
Police recovered a country-made pistol, a live bullet, a Swiggy uniform with a Swiggy delivery bag and other items from the accused.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact motive behind the murder, police chief added.