Borrowed ₹50 lakh, returned a bullet

Lokmat News NetworkChhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a chilling case resembling the plot of the film Drishyam, a retired engineering professor was allegedly murdered by his friend in a carefully planned attempt to avoid repaying a debt of over ₹50 lakh. City police have arrested three persons, including a social media reel creator, for allegedly planning and executing the crime. Police commissioner Praveen Pawar disclosed the details on Sunday.

The victim, Rajaram Londhe (60) of Jyotinagar, was a retired head of department at Government Engineering College. His wife and two children live in Pune, while he originally hailed from Soundare village in Barshi taluka. Police arrested reel star Vishal Rathod (24) of Gevrai Tanda, Akash Pawar, and Karan Ade of Ghardon. Investigators said Rathod had borrowed over Rs 50 lakh from Londhe to produce a reality show titled Love and Dare. When the project failed and Londhe began demanding repayment, Rathod allegedly conspired with his associates to eliminate him.

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Murder planned in advance

Police said Rathod had pits dug in fields near Gevrai Tanda using a JCB machine three days before the incident. On the night of March 5, Rathod and Akash allegedly took Londhe to a farmhouse near Daulatabad for a party. While returning on Daulatabad Road, they stopped the car on the pretext of relieving themselves. As Londhe stepped out, Rathod allegedly shot him in the head. The accused then placed the body in the car and deliberately drove past several CCTV locations including Ciggma Hospital, Kanchanwadi, A.S. Club and Londhe’s residence to create a false trail suggesting he was still alive. The next morning between 6 am and 7 am, the body was buried in one of the pre-dug pits at Gevrai Tanda. The investigation was carried out by police inspector Gajanan Kalyankar, Osmanpura police inspector Sangram Tathe, PSI Shivaji Chaure, and police sub-inspectors Pravin Wagh and Abhishek Chikhalkar, along with other personnel.

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Brother’s suspicion exposed the crime

The case surfaced after Londhe’s brother Uttam Londhe filed a missing complaint at Osmanpura police station. Initially, Rathod’s statement was recorded and the investigation progressed slowly. Later, Uttam approached the police commissioner and expressed suspicion about Rathod and Akash, prompting police to detain and interrogate them.

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Mobile status raised suspicion

Police also grew suspicious when Londhe’s mobile phone was switched on in Pune on March 8, and a poorly worded status message appeared: “I am in personal work, 20–25 don’t call.” Investigators said Londhe, an IIT graduate known for precise English writing, would not normally use such language. During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed and led police to the burial site, where the body was exhumed in the presence of a tehsildar. Ade allegedly assisted in burying the body. The investigation was carried out under the guidance of crime branch DCP Ratnakar Navle and ACP Ashok Rajput. A court has remanded the three accused to three days of police custody.