In Amravati chemist's murder, NIA takes custody of all seven accused

Amravati, Jul 05: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over custody of all the seven accused in connection with the murder of Amravati-based chemist Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe.

The NIA took custody of all the accused, who were granted four days' transit remand on Monday after they were produced before the Amravati court, a police official said.

The accused are likely to be produced before the NIA's Mumbai court on or before July 8, the official added.

Amravati police had found links between social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Umesh's murder during the investigation and didn't suppress the case as was alleged, police commissioner Arti Singh said on Monday.

Police didn't disclose the information earlier given the 'very sensitive' nature of the murder case and to avoid any untoward incident, she said.

The seven are Muddasar Ahmad (22), Shahrukh Pathan (25), Abdul Taufiq (24) Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yusuf Khan (32) and alleged mastermind Shaikh Irfan Shaikh Rahim.

Police are on the lookout for one more suspect Shamim Ahmed in connection with the case.

Umesh was allegedly attacked with a knife by a group of three men between 10 pm and 10:30 pm on June 21 when he was returning home on a two-wheeler after closing his shop. He died during treatment at hospital. He had supported a post on social media in support of Nupur Sharma, who made a comment on Prophet Muhammad in a TV debate.

Umesh's killing had taken place a week before two men hacked to death Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Rajasthan's Udaipur, with a cleaver at his shop before posting videos online saying that they were avenging an insult to Islam. That case is also being probed by the NIA.