Nagpur: Professional rivalry is said to have triggered off fire in the posh restaurant near Law College. A prominent hotel director is suspected to be involved in the incident of pouring petrol and setting fire to the posh restaurant near Law College Chowk. The arrested accused Roshan Sheikh did not reveal the role of hotel director despite being inter-rogated in police custody for three days. That is why the petrol pump director Ashutosh Mundada who is considered to be the kingpin of the whole incident has not yet been arrested. The arrested accused is being questioned to ferret out the truth about the incident.
It may be recalled that on the night of March 11, Ashutosh, Roshan took the help of Irian Khan and Wajid Khan to allegedly set fire to the under construction hotel.
Ashutosh was to take over an agency of a Pune-based restaurant chain in partnership with a friend named Pawan Nirvan. Later, Pawan side, lined Ashutosh and partnered with Ajarun Chhabda to get the agency. This angered Ashutosh who planned to set fire to the restaurant. Ashutosh, associated with the businessman family, is engaged in suspicious activities from the beginning. He is familiar with the workings of crime branch. He knows the way of police investigation and that is why he made the ‘full proof plan’ of the arson with the help of Roshan.
Initially the police got misled and allowed Roshan to be freed after interrogation. But later, they arrested him when the truth came out. In this incident, the director of a prominent hotel has been found to have played a suspicious role.
Roshan is the popular name of the hukka parlour circuit in the city. He is associated with a controversial hotel in Sitabuldi police station area. This hotel has always been the headache for the police. This hotel is the site of many criminal incidents. Roshan is also involved in these incidents, but due to the nexus with police, his name has never been revealed. It is learnt that Ajrun Chhabda’s brother runs a posh restaurant off Amravati Road under the Wadi police station. There is always a sizeable crowd gathered there. Once, Roshan came here with his troublesome colleagues. There was also a dispute with Ajrun’s brother when he was not allowed to enter. Since this controversy, Roshan was also thinking of teaching a lesson to the Chhabda family, that is why he accepted Ashutosh’s ‘offer’ as soon as it came along.
During interrogation, Roshan avoided answering a number of questions, including the role of the controversial hotel director in this case. The police also did not strictly interrogate Roshan due to their unwillingness to go to the bottom of the case. Even after 24 hours of Roshan going to jail, the police could not find any information about Ashutosh and two wanted accused. Ashutosh too has old relationship with police. In such a case, it is being suspected whether the truth will come out at all. The car used in the incident is also that of Ashutosh. He has escaped with the can Ashutosh has already been detained in several cases. He knows the tactics of avoiding the police. Therefore the police may have to resort to the new strategy.
