Ex-Sena man murder: Main accused offers to surrender

MUMBAI: Jagdish Pawar alias Jagga, the main accused in the murder of former Shiv Sena corporator Ashok Sawant, has offered to surrender.
Sources said he contacted police through his uncle in Solapur. A team camping in Pune to arrest Jagga left for Solapur on Friday. Sources said Jagga has run out of money, as last week he had landed up in Ghatkopar to meet a builder’s consultant for financial help, but smelt a rat and fled before police reached there.
Police are hoping to arrest Jagga and his associate, Abhijit Mane alias Blacky, to find out the exact motive behind the murder. “Though we have arrested seven persons in the case, until we arrest the main accused, we will not know the real motive,” said an officer.
There are several theories floating around for the reason for Sawant’s murder. Arrested RTI activist Anil Waghmare told police that Sawant’s murder was intended to send out a message to the builder and exert pressure on him, so that he succumbs and pays them extortion money.
Police also suspect a cable war. It appears Sawant was to get the contract for cable connections at a housing project but Jagga wanted a share. There was also buzz of a dispute between Jagga and Sawant over sharing profits from the cable business. Police are also exploring the possibility of the involvement of a fugitive gangster. “All this will be clarified only once we nab Jagga,” said an senior officer.
A construction company has been carrying out a huge redevelopment project at Samta Nagar in Kandivli for 10 years to rehabilitate over 2,000 tenants. Sawant was chairman of the housing society.
The two-time corporator from Kandivli was stabbed by three men few metres from his building in Kandivli on the night of January 8.