Ara: Police claimed to have arrested the key accused in the murder of retired customs officer Ram Kumar Singh, who allegedly took a ‘supari’ (contract to kill) from a group of alleged land grabbers to commit the crime, Bhojpur police said on Tuesday.SP Awadhesh Dixit said at a news conference on Tuesday that the key accused in Ram Kumar Singh’s murder case, Pintu Kumar, who was seen in the CCTV footage driving the bike on which two hired shooters were riding on the morning of Oct 15 when the retired officer was shot dead, was arrested on Monday. “Pintu, a resident of Bihiya block in Bhojpur, is a history-sheeter with cases of murder, liquor and ganja smuggling lodged against him with different police stations of the state,” he said.The SP said the arrested accused had admitted to taking a ‘supari’ to arrange Ram Kumar Singh’s murder. “During initial interrogation, Pintu confessed to getting a ‘supari’ of Rs 2 lakh in advance for purchasing arms and ammunition from the main accused Chandan Singh who has already been arrested with his other accomplices. Besides Rs 2 lakh, Rs 4 to 5 lakh was received by the accused for other expenses. However, the exact amount will be known after investigation. The ‘supari’ had been given by a network of 15 to 20 accused persons who were desperate to usurp the land which was in possession of late Ram Kumar Singh after he got a stay order (injunctions) on the disputed land,” said the SP.This was the fifth arrest in the murder case. Police had earlier arrested the alleged main accused, Chandan Singh, and Manoj Lucky, Tipu and Abhishek.“The police are going to attach the properties of those accused in the case who are still absconding,” the SP said.According to the SP, the investigation has also brought to light the names of some more alleged land grabbers who were involved in the conspiracy to murder the retired customs officer. “More details will be shared after the completion of the ongoing investigation of the case,” he said.praveensibu@gmail.com
