Nagpur, Jun 12 (PTI) A court on Wednesday remanded Prashant Parlewar, Director, MSME, in Maharashtra government, and four others arrested in connection with the alleged contract killing of Nagpur-based businessman Puroshattam Puttewar, to police custody till June 15.
The court also allowed the police to arrest the prime accused and the slain businessman's daughter-in-law Archana Puttewar, who serves as Assistant Director of Town Planning Department, on a production warrant.
Archana, earlier remanded to judicial custody, will be produced before the court on Thursday, a Crime Branch official said.
Prashant Parlewar, 59, was arrested by the Nagpur Crime Branch on Tuesday night
The other arrested persons are identified as suspected contract killers Neeraj Ishwar Nimje (30), Sachin Mohan Dharmik (29) and Sarthak Bagde (29). Another accused, Payal Nageshwar (28), is the personal assistant of the prime accused.
Dharmik became a part of the murder conspiracy, hatched by Archana Puttewar, Nageshwar, and Bagde, after he was assured to grant a beer bar license, a crime branch official said.
The incident dates back to May 22 when Puroshattam Puttewar (82) was fatally hit by a car. Initially registered as an accident case, further investigation uncovered evidence of a premeditated murder and alleged contract killing.
The murder appears to be linked to a property dispute.
Police have so far seized two cars, an SUV, 140 grams of gold, Rs 3 lakh, seven mobile phones, and other materials from the accused, the official said.