Noronha used bodyguard's pistol to kill Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar: Official

Mauris Noronha and Abhishek Ghosalkar, on a Facebook Live event minutes before the shooting. File Photo

The pistol used by deceased Mauris Noronha to kill Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar, belonged to his bodyguard, reported news wire PTI, quoting an official. A bodyguard of Mauris Noronha has been detained by the Mumbai Crime Branch and is being questioned in connection to Ghosalkar murder case.

"The pistol used by Noronha belongs to his bodyguard Amarendra Mishra. The weapon was made at an ordnance factory and its license is in Mishra's name", the official said, reported PTI.

The police have recorded the statements of Noronha's family members, including his wife, and learnt that Noronha held grudge against Abhishek Ghosalkar. Noronha has faced many police cases earlier, and was arrested in a rape case and spent nearly five months behind bars.

Noronha, popularly called as Mauris bhai, killed Ghosalkar during a 'Facebook Live' before taking his own life on Thursday evening in his office. Two teams of Mumbai crime are investigating the sensational murder of Abhishek Ghosalkar.

While there was a tussle between Ghosalkar and Noronha, who had political aspirations, the latter suspected the former had implicated him in the rape case, his wife has told the police, PTI reported. After coming out of jail, Noronha would frequently say that he wouldn't "spare" Ghosalkar. The official said, "Noronha first decided to win Ghosalkar's trust by offering an olive branch to him. He began putting up Ghoslkar's banners in his area".

Around 7.30 pm on Thursday, Ghosalkar was in his office at IC Colony, which is less than 100 metres from Noronha's set-up on the ground floor of the 'Prabhu Udyog Bhavan' building. Noronha called Ghosalkar, asking him to come over to his office on the other side of the road, saying they would distribute sarees to women gathered outside.

As per PTI report, Noronha then asked Ghosalkar to do a Facebook Live to announce that both of them have resolved their fight and have come patched up to work for people's welfare. However, during the Facebook Live, Noronha pumped bullets into Ghosalkar from his bodyguard's pistol, which he perhaps had kept with himself. He then rushed to the mezzanine floor of his office and shot himself in the head, the official said.

Ex-corporator Abhishek (40), was son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar and a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

(With PTI inputs)