The police requested the court to keep the accused Vitthal Shelar and Ramdas Marne in police custody and further conduct a combined investigation in pursuit of Ganesh Marne, who is claimed to be the mastermind behind the Sharad Mohol murder case, however, the court denied the Pune Police application denied the accused were placed under judicial custody at Yerawada Jail till February 1, while Ganesh Marne who is at large, has applied for anticipatory bail.
As the term of police custody of Vitthal Shelar (age 36), and Ramdas alias Vaghya Marne (age 36, both residents of Mulshi) in the Sharad Mohol murder case ended on Wednesday, January 24, they were produced in front of the First Class Magistrate A. C. Birajdar in the court. The Pune police informed the court that both Shelar and Marne had held a meeting a month before Mohol's murder.
Mohol murder case investigation officer and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Tambe told the court that the police are still searching for Ganesh Marne, who is claimed to be the mastermind of the murder. For this, investigation teams were dispatched to Pune, Satara, Mulshi and other places. Also, the car used in the crime has been seized by the police.
The police requested in the court that once the mastermind is found, many things related to the murder can come to light and hence demanded that Shelar and Marne should be given police custody for four more days to trace Ganesh Marne. Advocate D. S. Bhoite and Rohini Langhe of the Lok Abhirakshak Karyal argued the case in favour of the accused.
Advocate D. S. Bhoite while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, “There are no new facts highlighted by the police in the investigation. In every remand report from them, police custody is being sought to trace the mastermind and no progress is seen in the investigation. Hence the court has rejected the appeal for the extension of the police custody.”
“The police had earlier released the video of Vitthal Shelar where he was paraded without covering his face and the video was shot from a close distance which has revealed his face which can cause hindrance in the identification of our client. When the police were asked questions by the court about this they claimed that their vehicle was not working hence we walked him. This is a violation of human rights and we have appealed in the court against the police actions which will be heard on February 1,” added Advocate D. S. Bhoite
Public prosecutor Neelima Ithape-Yadav objected to the argument made by D.S Borate saying that the police have made significant progress in the investigation of the place where the firing was practised and the vehicle used in the crime has been seized by the police. After hearing the arguments from both the parties the court remanded Shelar and Marne Judicial custody till February 1.