Uttarakhand STF Arrests Key Conspirator in Jharkhand Gangster's Murder Case
Dehradun: In a significant breakthrough, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and Dehradun Police have apprehended the alleged "key conspirator" in the murder of 54-year-old Jharkhand gangster Vikram Sharma. The accused, identified as Mohit alias Akshat Thakur, is a first-year BBA student at a private university in Noida.
Arrest and Investigation Details
Mohit Thakur was arrested from an apartment in Greater Noida on Monday. According to police officials, he allegedly arranged accommodation and other logistical support for the assailants after the crime. During a joint press conference in Dehradun, SSP Parmendra Dobhal and STF SSP Ajai Singh revealed that a black SUV, believed to have been used in the murder, was recovered from Mohit's possession.
The accused was initially detained on suspicion and brought to Dehradun for questioning. During interrogation, his alleged role in the conspiracy surfaced, leading to his formal arrest. Police stated that Mohit disclosed he had been staying in Greater Noida with two associates.
Premeditated Plot Across Multiple States
Investigators revealed that the plan to kill Vikram Sharma was hatched months earlier by Ashutosh Singh (26) and his associates, including Ankit Verma (26), Vishal Singh (28), and Akash Kumar Prasad (28), along with two others who remain absconding. According to police, the accused had initially planned to eliminate Sharma in Jamshedpur and later in Noida but were unable to execute the plan as he was always accompanied by several people.
Ankit Verma allegedly joined the same gym on Rajpur Road frequented by Sharma nearly three months before the killing to track his routine. On the day of the murder, February 13, Verma reportedly informed Ashutosh that Sharma was at the gym. Ashutosh and Vishal then allegedly shot Sharma outside the Silver City Mall premises.
Escape and Vehicle Details
The assailants fled the scene on a rented motorcycle and a scooter from Haridwar and later escaped in the SUV to Noida, reaching Mohit's flat. Police officials confirmed that the SUV was registered in the name of Yashraj, proprietor of Sarika Enterprises in Jamshedpur.
Reward Announcement and Previous Arrests
SSP Dobhal has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of the remaining six accused. He emphasized that the case was solved through coordinated efforts, including analysis of CCTV footage and technical surveillance. STF officials found the conspiracy to be premeditated and spread across multiple states.
On February 19, one Rajkumar Singh was arrested from his residence in Jamshedpur after tracing financial transactions linked to the rented vehicles. He allegedly made a UPI payment in Haridwar for the motorcycle used by the assailants.
Background of the Victim
Vikram Sharma was shot dead on February 13 outside a mall in the Dalanwala area of Dehradun. He was named in more than 50 criminal cases, including the 2007 murder of Sreeleathers co-owner Ashish Dey in Jamshedpur, and was out on bail at the time of his death. Sharma had been living in a rented apartment in Dehradun for over a year.
