Mumbai In light of the fresh revelations regarding the alleged threat to actor Salman Khan’s life that has come to light in the Sidhu Moose Wala murder probe, the investigation into the case registered in the city has been transferred from the Bandra police to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
Earlier this month, three suspects in Moose Wala’s killing were arrested from Nepal by the local authorities and handed over to the Punjab police. One of them, Kapil Pandit, has claimed that he, along with two others, conducted a recce of not just Khan’s house in Bandra but also his farmhouse in Panvel, to the extent of examining the roads leading to the farmhouse to identify an ideal assassination spot.
Senior Mumbai Police officials confirmed that the case had been handed over to Unit 9 of the Crime Branch for investigation.
“The Crime Branch was anyway conducting a parallel investigation into the case but in light of the fresh claims and the fact that how detailed they are, the case was officially transferred on Tuesday,” said a senior officer with the Mumbai Police.
The Crime Branch is in daily touch with the Punjab police and are getting updates about Pandit’s claims, while also cross checking them against details that have already emerged so far, said a senior police officer.
“The Punjab police are verifying the claims made by Pandit at their own level and we are waiting for this process to be complete as meddling in interrogation could be detrimental to the case. They will soon inform us when it would be feasible for us to send a team to Punjab and we shall dispatch our men as soon as they do,” the Crime Branch officer said.
The officer added that a call will be taken as to whether or not it is necessary to seek Pandit’s custody after the team visits Punjab and takes stock of whatever information has been verified at that point.