Criminal held for opening fire at ex-sarpanch

PUNE: The Pune crime branch on Wednesday arrested a criminal for allegedly opening fire at Vitthal Chavan, a former sarpanch of Marunje village in Hinjewadi, outside Nivrutti Lawns at Ravet in Dehu Road around 8.30pm on April 22. Chavan had escaped unhurt in the attack.
The suspect has been identified as Prashant Bhagwan Kedari alias Babu Bhondwe (22) of Thergaon.He was arrested from Sangvi following a tip-off received by police naiks Sanjay Kalokhe and Ganesh Mali.
“A pistol and three cartridges, collectively worth Rs 20,300, were recovered from the possession of Kedari, who has cases of murder, body offence and molestation registered against him with the Pune rural police,” said inspector Sunil Patil, officiating in-charge of the anti-extortion cell.
“During sustained interrogation, Kedari revealed the names of two men who had given him supari (blood money) to eliminate Chavan over previous enmity,” he said, adding that Chavan had also received threatening phone calls from gangster Ravi Pujari few months ago.
Chavan is from Marunje but was in Ravet to attend a marriage ceremony.