MARGAO, FEB 15
Investigations into the Headless body murder case has revealed that deceased Sultan Bellary was allegedly housed and tortured in the gymnasium and a room adjoining the Shri Swami Samarth Temple at Rumdamol Housing Board before his body was dumped at Nessai on January 11.
In this connection, the Maina Curtorim police on Tuesday raided the gymnasium and the room in the premises of the Shri Swami Samarth Temple and is believed to have seized some confiscating material. A knuckle duster and a nylon rope were amongst the items seized under panchanama from the site.
In another development, the police have attached the Hero Honda motorcycle of accused Jayesh Naik, who is the President of the Shri Swami Samarth Temple.
Margao Sub-divisional police officer, DySP Umesh Gaonkar told newsmen that a police team led by PI Sidhant Shirodkar conducted a search of the gymnasium and the room which was occupied by absconding accused Vinod Kumar Yadav as the investigations have revealed that deceased Sultan Bellary was kept in the gymnasium and the room after his abduction from Pedda-Benaulim.
‘Our investigation reveals that the deceased was housed in the gymnasium and the room for a day and tortured. After the deceased fell unconscious in the room, the accused took him to Nessai where he was allegedly beheaded”, DySP Gaonkar added.
Replying to a question, he said the police had recorded the statement of the Temple manager, Padmanaba Pai in connection with the murder case.
Meanwhile, the court on Tuesday heard arguments on the bail application filed by Vivek Dhamale in the headless body murder case.
PP Sarojini Sardinha submitted in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Vijaya Pol that the accused had visited Pedda-Benaulim in search of deceased Sultan Bellary on a scooter and was part of the group that abducted the deceased later the same night. On the other hand, defense lawyer, Adv Alban Viegas said the prosecution has not yet specified the exact role played by the applicant, saying the police are trying to frame up his client in the murder case.
Judge Vijaya Pol has reserved her orders to February 17.
