Five arrested for JDS corporator''s murder

Bangalore, Jan 19 (PTI) Claiming to have cracked theJanuary 16 murder of gangster-turned JD-S corporator HajiMohamad Ali alias Deewan Ali, police today arrested fivepersons in connection with the incident.

"The five accused who have been arrested are: Afsaralias Appi, Saleem Ahmed, Farooq, Afroz and Nazeem", citypolice commissioner Shankar Bidari told PTI.

The five had been remanded to 15 day''s police custody, hesaid.

Ali (37) was murdered and two of his aides were injured bysome unidentified persons near his office in Banashankari areain the city on January 16.

Afsar, who split from Ali''s gang some time ago followingdifferences between them, was apparently roped in by Asghar,an undertrial prisoner to execute the plan to kill Ali.

Afsar is the son of Daru Faiz, who had fallen out with Aliafter the latter attacked his family members here a couple ofyears ago.

According to police sources, Ali had created severalenemies who nursed a grudge against him.

Ali was a rowdy-sheeter and had around 36 cases, includingrioting, pending against him. He was lodged in central jail inMay 2010 and was subsequently released on bail.

He then contested the local civic elections and was electedcorporator.

Ali had reportedly given "supari" to eliminate one of hisrivals Mahim on August 12 last year, police said.