Mastermind And Contract Killer Held, Arms Supplier Shot Dead In Gopal Khemka Murder Case

Patna: Bihar police on Tuesday  made a major breakthrough in the high profile Gopal Khemka  murder case by arresting the mastermind of the crime, and also the contract killer, who opened fire on the  prominent businessman of the state.

In another important development in the case, a dreaded criminal, Raja alias Vikas, who is facing accusation of supplying the arm to the contract killer in the murder was shot dead in a police encounter under Malsalmi police station limits in the state capital late Monday night.

Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar told a press conference at the state police headquarters that the weapon used in the murder had also been recovered. He said that the exact reason behind the murder had yet to be ascertained. Some reasons which are suspecte behind the murder include land dispute, old rivalry, and also Khemka being the main witness in the murder case of his son Gunjan Khemka a few years ago. But there can be many other reasons as well, which will become clear only after the completion of a thorough investigation, the state police chief added.

He said that Raja, who played the role of the main liner in the whole episode, was killed in a police encounter. About a dozen cases including murder and robbery were registered against him. He said that Ashok Sahu's name had also been linked to some other murder cases.

ADG (Headquarters cum STF) Kundan Krishnan, said that there was a heated argument between Gopal Khemka and Ashok Sahu on the phone regarding the plot of land. Its audio record has also been found from Ashok Sahu's phone, which was played during the press conference.

Krishnan said that Rs 3.65 lakh had been found during the raid at Umesh Yadav's house, which Ashok Sahu had given to him as a contract to kill Gopal Khemka. The deal was settled for Rs 4 lakh, in which Rs 50,000 was paid first and the remaining amount was paid the next day of the murder on July 5.