Pune: The Pune Rural Police Crime Branch has successfully apprehended Yogesh alias Babu Kisan Bhame, the mastermind behind the abduction and murder of builder and government contractor Vitthal Polekar.
The arrest brings a crucial breakthrough in the sensational case, which involved a demand for ₹2 crore ransom. Bhame, who had been on the run for the last two months, was captured in Kolhapur.
Vitthal Sakharam Polekar (70), a resident of Polekarwadi in Donje village near Sinhagad foothills, was abducted on November 14, 2024. Bhame, a resident of the same area, had demanded ₹2 crore from Polekar. Along with accomplices, Bhame kidnapped Polekar in a car, fatally assaulted him with sharp weapons, and disposed of his remains in the backwaters of Khadakwasla Dam.
The police had earlier arrested two of Bhame’s accomplices:
Shubham Popat Sonawane (24), resident of Chincholi Gurav, Ahilyanagar.
Milind Devidas Thorat (24), resident of Belgaon, Ahilyanagar.
Bhame, however, managed to evade capture for two months.
Investigations revealed Bhame’s presence in Kolhapur, leading to his arrest. Pune Rural Police Superintendent Pankaj Deshmukh disclosed the developments in a press conference. Police are now investigating the precise motive for the murder, Bhame's activities while on the run, and identifying those who provided him with shelter or financial assistance.
Superintendent Deshmukh emphasized that individuals who provided refuge or financial support to Bhame will be treated as co-accused in the case.
The arrest was the result of coordinated efforts by a team led by Police Superintendent Pankaj Deshmukh and Additional Superintendent of Police Ramesh Chopde.
The team included officers and personnel from the local crime branch and Haveli police station, including:
Police Inspector Avinash Shilimkar
Police Inspector Sachin Wangde
Assistant Inspector Kuldeep Sankpal
Abhijit Sawant, Sanjay Sulnase, Ramdas Babar, Atul Dere, and others