21 August,2018 07:30 PM IST | Mumbai | Hajra Bi
Avinash Solanki's alleged killer Nilesh Shukla
On Friday evening, crime branch unit III's senior inspector Jagdish Sahil discovered the mysterious murder of a police informant, his long-time friend Avinash Solanki, aka Bali, 40, in an Andheri office. Avinash was found in a pool of blood, after being seemingly hit brutally on the head.
Earlier that day, Avinash had spent time with his brother Dilip and his family at his Oshiwara home. Later, he'd cancelled his dinner plan with Sahil to go meet Nilesh Shukla, another friend, to help him in his marital problems. Sahil couldn't reach Avinash after 7 pm that day, so he contacted Dilip, who told him he, too, was not able to reach Avinash.
Avinash Solanki (right) with senior inspector Jagdish Sahil
Sahil then called Shukla, an alleged viagra exporter, who said he'd left for Madhya Pradesh after meeting Avinash. This made Sahil suspicious; so, he and his team went to Shukla's Ravindra Impex office in Apollo Industrial Area in MIDC and saw that the lights and air conditioner were on. Sahil then broke into the office and found Avinash's lifeless body.
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A murder case was immediately registered with the MIDC police against unknown persons. A source said cops didn't find the weapon used to hit Avinash, but there were four glasses there, indicating four people, including Avinash, had been present at the spot. A source from MIDC police station said Shukla is the prime suspect in the case. His phone remains switched off; so, cops are unaware of his whereabouts.
A source from the crime branch said they suspect three people are involved in the murder - Shukla, his driver Jagga and a bodyguard. Another source said the trio might have reached Uttarakhand and might escape to Nepal. The source further alleged that Shukla had come to his house to change before heading out, and even confessed to his wife about the crime he'd committed. A teary-eyed Sahil told mid-day he and Avinash had worked together for 20 years and he was like a son to him. His absence has left a void in his life.
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