Activist killed for plaints against ex-corporator, son: Police

RTI activist Bhupendra Vira was murdered for filing complaints with the BMC against illegal constructions allegedly carried out by a former corporator and his son and over a pending dispute regarding the ownership of a shop in Kalina area, as per a chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch today.
Vira (61) was shot dead from close range at his Kalina residence on October 15 last.
Police had subsequently recovered a pistol, 12 live cartridges and a car which was allegedly used in the crime.
Officers of Unit VIII of the Crime Branch filed the chargesheet in a magistrate's court here.

Vira was an active member of a citizens' group, a police official said.
The probe was handed over to the Crime Branch on directions from City Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar.

During the investigation, the Crime Branch arrested former BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) corporator Razzak Khan (78) and his son Amjad (53).
Amjad was arrested after a witness allegedly saw him near Vira's residence at the time of the crime.
During Amjad's interrogation, it came to light that Vira had submitted hundreds of RTI queries against illegal constructions allegedly carried out by the father-son duo in Kalina area, police said.
Acting on the applications filed by Vira, the Lokayukta had sent a notice to Khan stating that it would demolish four of his properties in the area, which caused heavy losses to him, they added.

To mitigate the losses caused by Vira's RTI applications and to put an end to another dispute regarding the ownership of a shop, the accused had planned and executed Vira's murder, stated the chargesheet.