Amravati killing mastermind Shaikh Rahim sent to police custody till July 7

A local court on Sunday sent the mastermind of Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe's murder, Shaikh Irfan Shaikh Rahim to police custody till July 7.

The police on Saturday arrested the mastermind and seventh accused in the brutal killing of Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe.Earlier, six accused who were arrested have been identified as Mudassir Ahmad (22), Shah Rukh Pathan (25), Abdul Thoufique (24), Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yusufkan Bahadur Khan (44).

Exactly a week before tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was hacked to death in Udaipur, Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe, a 54-year-old chemist, was killed in Maharashtra's Amravati district on June 21.

Initial investigation by the City Kotwali Police Station in Amravati following a complaint by Umesh Kohle's son Sanket Kohle led them to arrest two persons - Muddsir Ahmad, 22, and Shahrukh Pathan, 25, on June 23.

Investigators so far believe that Kolhe was killed allegedly in retaliation for a social media post supporting BJP's Nupur Sharma who had made controversial comments on the Prophet in a television debate.

The number of arrests may increase after the main accused in the brutal murder of an Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe is nabbed, said a police official on Sunday.

"He (mastermind) was arrested last night. He's being interrogated. They have a helpline group-Rehbar group. Several people connected to them. 7 accused have been arrested so far. The number of arrests may rise after the arrest of the main accused," said Nilima Araj, Police Inspector when asked about mastermind of Amravati murder.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe into the brutal killing of Maharashtra's Amravati-based shop owner Umesh Kolhe on June 21, after he wrote a post in support of Nupur Sharma on Facebook.

Home Minister's Office (HMO) made the announcement through its Twitter handle as the matter was similar to the Udaipur case in which a tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli was killed in broad daylight by two men.