Nagpur councillor firing case: alleged mastermind Vishal Gupta caught in Rameswaram with girlfriend

Nagpur Crime Branch has made a breakthrough in the case of the firing at the home of Congress councillor Shubham Motghare in Bhandewadi. Police caught the alleged mastermind, Vishal alias Fallu Gupta, with his girlfriend at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. Crime Branch Unit-5 tracked him through technical surveillance. Gupta had allegedly gone into hiding outside Maharashtra.

According to police sources, Gupta was taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday and is being brought to Nagpur. Investigators will now question him about the firing. They also want to know what role he played in getting the attack carried out and how he is linked to the other accused. Police hope the arrest will help them reach the remaining suspects and establish the alleged conspiracy behind the shooting.

The firing took place on August 26 at about 12.42 am. A bullet hit the glass of the gallery of Motghare's house in Shravan Nagar, Bhandewadi. CCTV footage reportedly showed two youths fleeing on a two-wheeler after the incident. Bhandewadi police registered a case under several sections, including attempt to murder, and began an investigation.

The investigation has allegedly found that Gupta paid his associates a contract (supari) to fire at the councillor's house. The reason for the attack and the exact role of each accused are still under investigation.

Police have already arrested seven accused in the case. They are Ankush Janak Tomarkar, Rishabh alias Rishi Vishal Nagdeve, Amit Madhukar Thakre, Kartik Babloo Tomarkar, Rishabh Bhagwati Pethel, Ketan Durgaprasad Mate and Romit alias Fulya Muneshwar Wahane. According to police, the accused have been booked under MCOCA, the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Ashok alias Babaji Yadav, Saheli Pandharam alias Sonu and some other suspects are absconding, and a search for them is on.

During the hunt for Gupta, Crime Branch reached a flat in Vijaya Apartment in Narendra Nagar, Beltarodi. In a raid there, police seized 1 kg 405 grams of suspected MD (mephedrone). With other items, property worth Rs 1,54,50,700 in all was seized. Five people were arrested in this connection: Shubham Narwariya, Krishna Verma, Toofan Singh Sisodia, Rahul Gond and Aniket alias Annu Bihare, who was allegedly wanted in another MCOCA case. Gupta's exact role in the drugs case, and any direct link between the two cases, will be settled only by further investigation.

Police said the seized MD was brought from Rajasthan for sale in Nagpur. The role of Bhupendra Singh, an alleged drug supplier in Rajasthan, is being examined, and a team has been sent to Rajasthan to find him. Investigators suspect that members of the network spoke over WhatsApp and Instagram calls to evade police attention.

Police sources said Gupta returned to Nagpur and visited the Koradi temple before setting out for Rameswaram. Crime Branch traced the bus in which he was travelling and caught him on the way. His girlfriend, who was with him, was also taken into custody, though it is not yet clear whether she had any role in the crimes. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Agrawal and Assistant Commissioner of Police Vaibhav Jadhav.

Police will now focus on the planning of the firing, the role of the absconding suspects, and any money or personal ties among the accused. They will also examine whether Gupta has any link to the drug supply network. Questioning is expected to yield leads for further arrests, but how far he was involved in the firing and drugs cases will depend on the evidence gathered in the investigation.