3 CCTV cameras in Thane leader Purnekar’s office were off when he was killed

A murder case was registered at the local police station and the probe was handed over to the crime branch SIT led by DCP Amar Sinh Jadhav.

THREE CCTV cameras at Shiv Sena UBT Vibhag Pramukh Pradeep Purnekar’s Thane office that would have captured the assailants stabbing and shooting him dead, thereby proving to be strong evidence, were switched off when the murder took place in his office on September 29, sources said.

While prima facie it appears that the switchboard powering the cameras was being used to light a Ganesh pandal near his office that led to the cameras not working, police are probing if there is more to it as the murder took place during the time the cameras were off.

A source said, “We are trying to find out if the cameras were either deliberately disconnected or that the accused knew the cameras were off around this time and hence decided to attack him.”

The source said that one of the five arrested accused Pappya Shinde had done a recce of Purnekar’s office a few days before the murder and may have spotted the cameras.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, for the second day in a row, Ravindra Shinde, husband of former Thane Mayor Meenakshi Shinde, was questioned by the Thane police at the Anti Extortion Cell office. He arrived at the office around 1 am and was not allowed to go till 8 pm. He was earlier questioned for eight hours on Tuesday.

Sources said he was questioned in connection with his links with some of the accused who have been arrested. So far, the police said they have not zeroed in on the motive behind the murder.

The various angles police are probing include political rivalry, a building project redevelopment in Thane that both Purnekar and Shinde were eyeing and a girl, whom Purnekar had handed over to the police after she was found with two boys in the area, who was spotted in a CCTV camera near the office around the time of the murder.

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Purnekar had also given complaints on those supplying drugs in the area and the police are looking into that angle as well.

Purnekar was shot and stabbed to death at his office on September 29 around 9.30 pm. A murder case was registered at the local police station and the probe was handed over to the crime branch SIT led by DCP Amar Sinh Jadhav.

So far, the SIT has arrested five persons identified as Pappya Shinde, Nikhil Yadav, Nitesh Pawar and the key accused, Santosh Kanojia alias Talli and his aide Amit Singh alias Paplu, who were nabbed from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh last week. Yadav and Pawar were produced before the court on Wednesday and remanded to judicial custody.

Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More

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