Bhanushali’s Kin Accuse BJP Leader Chabil Patel of Plotting Murder

Ex-Gujarat BJP VP Jayanti Bhanushali was shot dead by unidentified people in a train early on Tuesday, 8 January.

Former Gujarat BJP VP Jayanti Bhanushali. 

(Photo: YouTube screenshot)

The cold-blooded murder of former Gujarat BJP Vice President and former MLA Jayanti Bhanushali has left the saffron party reeling with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Bhanushali’s family has accused fellow party leader Chabil Patel of plotting his murder.

Jayanti Bhanushali was shot dead by unidentified people in a train in the early hours of Tuesday, 8 January. The incident took place around 2 am on Bhuj-Dadar Express when Bhanushali (53) was returning to Ahmedabad from Bhuj in Kutch district.

His wife, Madhuben Bhanushali, and brother Shambhu Bhanushali alleged that Patel was behind the act.

Patel could not be contacted as his cellphone was switched off and he is reportedly out of the country at present.

Seven-Member Team to Probe the Case

Director General of Police (CID) Ashish Bhatia told reporters on Tuesday that, as per preliminary probe, Bhanushali was apparently shot between Gandhidham and Samakhiyali in Kutch district, and he died during early hours.

Bhanushali, who was travelling in an AC First Class coupe of the train, was shot in the forehead and chest, said Bhatia.

"Apart from Bhanushali, there was another passenger in that 1st class coupe. This passenger was allotted the upper berth. He told us that when he came back to the coupe from the toilet, he saw Bhanushali lying in a pool of blood," Bhatia informed.

Bhatia said no one had seen the assailants as there were only two passengers in the coupe, adding that other passengers and the coach attendant would be questioned for leads.

“Forensic experts have recovered two empty bullet cases and three live 7.65 mm calibre cartridges. It shows the bullets were fired at close range from a country-made pistol. We have learnt that a chain-pulling was recorded between 00:55 and 00:58 am, between Gandhidham and Samakhiyali. This is also an important lead for us, “

Ashish Bhatia, Director General of Police (CID) 

According to sources in the department, police found Bhanushali’s gun in a plastic pouch in his suitcase, and it was untouched.

He said the state CID-Crime and Railway police had formed a seven-member team, headed by DIG (CID) Gautam Parmar, to probe the case. The Gandhidham railway police was in the process of registering a case in connection with the killing, an official said.

Rivalry Between Bhanushali And Patel

Bhanushali had represented the Abdasa Assembly constituency in Kutch from 2007 to 2012. In the 2012 Assembly elections, he was defeated by Chabil Patel, who, at the time was in the Congress. However, within two years, Patel switched sides and joined the BJP, but lost the bypoll for the seat in 2014 to Congress strongman Shaktisinh Gohil.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, the party had chosen Patel over Bhanushali for the Abdasa seat. However, Patel lost to Congress candidate Pradhyumansinh Jadeja. After his defeat, Patel had alleged that Bhanushali had conspired to sabotage his poll campaign, resulting in his defeat.

“Chhabil Patel must have given a contract to kill my husband. He has now fled the country,” Bhanushali's wife, Madhuben, told reporters.

“When Patel lost the election in the last Assembly polls, he circulated a video in which he can be heard saying that he will shoot his political rivals. Patel is behind the murder of my brother.”

Shambhu Bhanushali, Jayanti Bhanushali’s Brother

A Checkered Past

Bhanushali had stepped down from the post of Gujarat BJP's vice president in July last year after a woman accused him of rape. In fact, sex tapes of Bhanushali with a female college student from Surat had also gone viral a few months back.

The girl later filed an FIR against Bhanushali for allegedly luring and intimidating her for establishing sexual relationship. She alleged that he had reportedly promised her admission in a top fashion institution of Ahmedabad in exchange of sex.

Meanwhile, Bhanushali had alleged that it was Patel’s conspiracy to besmirch his name. However, Gujarat High Court had quashed the case in August 2018 after the girl withdrew the complaint.

In December, Patel had filed a complaint against Bhanushali for sending goons to intimidate his son with a gun. Patel's son was reportedly travelling to Gandhinagar from Ahmedabad in his car when he was stopped by some people, who were carrying a gun and threatened to kill him and his father.

Opposition Calls it Political Murder

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani told reporters that police had been asked to conduct a thorough inquiry and apprehend the culprits as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Gujarat BJP President Jitu Vaghani, in a statement, said the party has suffered a terrible loss and that investigating agencies will nab the murderers and bring them to justice.

However, the Congress didn’t miss a beat to call the incident a political murder. In a tweet, Gujarat Congress President Amit Chavda said, “Ex-BJP MLA Jayanti Bhanushali, who was accused of running a sex rackets, has been shot dead on a train. Was he 'eliminated' to save big names of BJP involved in Rackets? Law & order Situation is worsening in Gujarat & as CM holds the home dept, he should take up responsibility.”

PAAS leader Hardik Patel tweeted in Hindi saying, the Gujarat Model has “lost steam”.

(With Inputs from PTI)