The government wine shop assistant manager, who was allegedly shot dead by a group of car-borne assailants in Mehrauli last week, was murdered because the accused were under the impression that he carried collections from the liquor shop home, said the police.
Shootout with the police
“The accused had waylaid 42-year-old Brij Bhushan near his house. They then stabbed and shot him even as they kept demanding that he hand over the cash he was carrying. He kept pleading with them that he did not have any money,” said DCP Ishwar Singh. Pankaj Sharma and Dharmendra Yadav, two of the five alleged assailants, were arrested following a shootout with the police in west Delhi’s Uttam Nagar on Saturday. Delivery boy Vivek has also been arrested.
“Vivek works at a restaurant and would visit the wine shop daily. He estimated that the daily turnover was about ₹7 lakh to ₹8 lakh. He had also observed Bhushan carrying two bags home every night after work. Mistaking it for cash, he told his relative Pankaj about it,” said Mr. Singh.
Bhushan was attacked on December 20 while on his way home. The CCTV footage showed his car being vandalised. He was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. A case was registered at the Mehrauli police station.
Missing men
“Though Bhushan had no enemies, he may have been seen handling the proceeds of the wine shop by helps, delivery boys and restaurant employees, who visit the shop daily to purchase liquor for their employers,” said Mr. Singh.
The police found five of them missing. Investigators matched their photographs with the suspects captured in the CCTV footage, leading to Vivek.
His interrogation revealed the role of the others.
Two of the accused are still on the run.
