The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over custody of all the seven accused in the murder of Amravati-based chemist Umesh Kolhe, a police official said on Tuesday.
The NIA took custody of all the accused, who were granted four days' transit remand on Monday after they were produced before the Amravati court, he said.
The accused are likely to be produced before the NIA's Mumbai court on or before July 8, the official added.
Amravati police had found inks between social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Umesh's murder during the investigation and didn't suppress the case as was alleged, police commissioner Arti Singh said on Monday.
Police didn't disclose the information earlier given the "very sensitive" nature of the murder case and to avoid any untoward incident, she said.
The seven are Muddasar Ahmad (22), Shahrukh Pathan (25), Abdul Taufiq (24) Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yusuf Khan (32) and alleged mastermind Shaikh Irfan Shaikh Rahim.
Police are on the lookout for one more suspect Shamim Ahmed in connection with the case.
Umesh was allegedly attacked with a knife by a group of three men between 10 pm and 10:30 pm on June 21. He died during treatment at hospital. He had supported a post on social media in support of Nupur Sharma, who made a comment on Prophet Muhammad in a TV debate.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app