In an interesting turn of events, former BJP MLA Chhabil Patel, the prime accused in the cold-blooded murder of former Gujarat MLA Jayanti Bhanushali in January this year, surrendered himself before the Ahmedabad Railway Police. Patel was suspended from the BJP on 25 January.
Bhanushali was shot dead in the first-class coupe of the Sayaji Nagri Express (Bhuj-Dadar Express) in the wee hours of 8 January; meanwhile Patel fled to Muscat in Oman on 2 January. Thereafter, Patel went to the US on 10 January and lived with his daughter in New Jersey.
On 13 March, DIG Railways, Gautam Parmar, held a press conference and told reporters that Patel who was in hiding in the US had contacted his relatives and told them that he will return to India and surrender before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was formed to probe the case.
Arrests Made So Far
Patel landed in Ahmedabad on Thursday Morning, 14 March and surrendered himself before Ahmedabad Police. The Quint reached DGP CID (Crime and Railways) Ashish Bhatia, who confirmed the arrest and said that Patel’s interrogation is underway.
According to the official, Patel possibly decided to come back and face arrest due to the pressure following the arrest of his son. Incidentally, Patel’s son, Siddharth Patel, had surrendered himself before the cops on 9 March.
Patel was arrested from the Ahmedabad airport as soon as his flight from New York landed early this morning. He confessed that he played a key role in the Bhanushali murder case. He revealed how he contacted sharp shooters and conducted a recce of Bhanushali.Ashish Bhatia, DGP CID (Crime and Railways)
According to the police, Siddharth was instrumental in helping the two Pune-based assailants Sashikant Kamble and Ashraf Sheikh who were given the contract to kill Bhanushali; both Kamble and Sheikh were arrested on 16 February from a guest house in Saputara, Dangs district.
Apart from the two contract killers, the police have also arrested Chhabil Patel’s aides, Rahul Patel and Nitin Patel, on 24 January and a ‘Lookout Notice’ was also issued against Patel on 29 January.
One of the main accused in the case, Manisha Goswami, is yet to be arrested; Goswami had also accused Bhanushali of rape earlier in 2018, but she later withdrew the case.
Political Vendetta
Bhanushali’s kin had pointed fingers at Chhabil Patel and accused him of plotting the former’s murder as an act of political vendetta.
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.
In December 2018, 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.
When Bhanushali refused to retire from political life as allegedly demanded by Patel, the latter hatched the murder conspiracy, the complaint said.
Sexual Assault Cases Against Patel and Bhanushali
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 for a sexual relationship. She alleged that he had reportedly promised her admission in a top fashion institution of Ahmedabad in exchange for sex.
Meanwhile, Bhanushali had alleged that this 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.
The slain leader's nephew Sunil Bhanushali, who is the complainant in the case, alleged that to end his uncle's political career, Chhabil Patel and others made a CD, which showed him (Jayanti Bhanushali) in a compromising position with a woman.
Incidentally, rape charges were also lodged against Chhabil Patel in Delhi in November 2018 by a widow in Delhi; he was later given bail.
“Rivalry between Patel and Bhanushali led to the latter’s murder. Patel was particularly upset after a rape complaint was registered against him in Delhi a few months back. He secured anticipatory bail in that case. Patel feared that he may have to go to jail in some other case,”Ashish Bhatia, DGP CID (Crime and Railways)
(With Inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)