M A I N   N E W S

Police says son, aide plotted realtor Bhardwaj’s murder
Syed Ali Ahmed/TNS

New Delhi, April 9
Two weeks after the sensational murder of real estate tycoon and BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj, the Delhi Police today announced the arrest of his estranged younger son Nitesh and close aide Baljeet Singh Sherawat for allegedly plotting the crime.

Supari killing Realtor and BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj was shot dead at a farmhouse in South Delhi on March 26 Nitesh (pic), Bhardwaj’s younger son, had strained relations with his father. He hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him along with his father’s close aide Baljeet and godman Swami Pratibhanand Baljeet, who was planning to contest Assembly polls, offered to do the job for `5 crore and received an advance of `50 lakh. The godman hired the killers

Having detained Nitesh on Sunday, the police arrested him along with Baljeet for the murder that took place at a farmhouse in South Delhi on March 26. Six persons, including a godman, have been arrested by police in the case.

“We had detained Nitesh on Sunday for questioning. He was arrested along with Baljeet around 2 pm today,” South Delhi police chief Chhaya Sharma told reporters. Sharma said a painstaking probe enabled the police to lift veil off a well-hatched conspiracy by Nitesh, Baljeet and Machinder Nath alias Swami Pratibhanand.

Others arrested in the case were Pushottam alias Monu, Sunil Mann, both hired to do the hit job, Amit who drove the Skoda car that was used to execute the crime and Rakesh Kumar, in whose name the car was registered, the DCP said. The police said Nitesh told interrogators that he and other members of his family had strained relations with Deepak Bhardwaj. They were staying separately and were leading a difficult life in absence of adequate support from their father.

Baljeet was in regular touch with Bhardwaj and had earlier worked as a commission agent and executed some property deals on realtor’s behalf. Baljeet, who was planning to contest Assembly elections in Delhi, offered to do the job for Nitesh for Rs 5 crore and received an advance of Rs 50 lakh. The remaining amount was to be paid to him after execution of the plan.

Swami Pratibhanand, the third conspirator, hired killers for the job. He contacted Monu, his long-time disciple and driver. The other three --- Amit, Mann and Rakesh --- were roped in by Monu.