SRK kin Bhardwaj killed: Illicit affair, godman confuse cops

New

, April 6: Delhi

, who have been investigating the high-profile

case, seem to be confused over sensational information regarding an alleged illicit love affair and involvement of self-styled godman Swami Pratibhanand.

Pratibhanand, who is currently on run, allegedly had hired the contract shooters to kill BSP leader and the real estate tycoon who was also a relative of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan.

According to police, Pratibhanand might have played the role of a communicator between the contract killers and the main conspirator of the murder.

Meanwhile, family members of Bhardwaj accused one 28-year-old woman, who is identified as Sonia, of hatching the murder conspiracy of 61-year-old BSP leader who was killed in his own farmhouse in Delhi.

However, Sonia, during police interrogation, hurled allegations against Bhardwaj's wife Ramesh Kumari and two sons - Hitesh and Nitesh saying that the family killed him over property dispute.

Meanwhile, sources involved in the case were quoted as saying, "The idea that he (Deepak Bhardwaj) was in an illicit relationship, that too with a woman 33 years younger to him, was unbearable for his family members and they started staying away from him."

Earlier on Friday, April 5, a special team of Delhi police crime branch arrested a Yoga Guru Avinash Shastri in Indore. According to sources, Delhi police reached Indore following mobile signals of the accused Swami who is believed to have taken shelter at a ashram in Devdharam Tikri on the banks of Narmada river in Indore for two days.

However, the Swami left the place prior to the raid by a joint team of Delhi Police crime branch and the cops of Aerodrum police station. The 40-year-old yoga-guru has been accused of helping the absconding Swamy who allegedly had hired contract shooters to kill the real-estate tycoon and BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj over property dispute.

Delhi police along with the yoga guru have left for the national capital, said sources on Friday. Investigators are also on the look out for another associate, believed to be a commercial pilot, of the spiritual guru who is said to have approached alleged shooters -- Purushottam Rana and Sunil Mann -- with the contract to kill Bhardwaj.

The role of these two men came up during the interrogation of Rana and Mann, who allegedly murdered Bhardwaj in his south Delhi farmhouse on March 26.

Rana and Mann were arrested two days ago for their suspected involvement in the killing of Bhardwaj. Amit, who allegedly drove the car in which the shooters fled, and the owner of the vehicle, were also arrested.

Police on Thursday reportedly have recovered weapons which are believed to have been used in the gruesome murder.

Bharadwaj was the richest candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls with declared assets of over Rs 600 crore. His younger son Nitesh is married to Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan's sister-in-law.

OneIndia News