Goa: No motive yet, Swapnil Walke murder case shifted to crime branch

PANAJI/MARGAO: As the mystery continues over the motive behind the murder of Margao jeweller Swapnil Walke, the state government transferred the investigation to the Goa police’s crime branch.
Director general of police (DGP) Mukesh Kumar Meena met crime branch and South Goa police officers to discuss the case and issue necessary directions. “It was decided that the case will be transferred from Margao town police to crime branch,” he said, as the case was “sensitive”.
Crime branch will take over investigation of the case on Saturday.
Meanwhile, two of the three persons detained by Margao town police were on Friday placed under arrest even as the police are yet to disclose the motive. Omkar Patil and Mustafa Shaikh were produced before a local court, which remanded them in 10-day police custody.
Weapon recovered from bushes near crime scene
The accused have been booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.
On Thursday, three persons were detained. Two of them, including Patil, were nabbed by crime branch sleuths from Santa Cruz near Panaji earlier that day, while Shaikh surrendered before Margao police later in the afternoon.
The knife used by the accused in stabbing Walke was also recovered by police on Friday, from the bushes by the roadside, some 300m from the scene of the crime. Police are on the lookout for two more of their accomplices.
Even though police subjected the suspects to sustained interrogation for nearly two days, they were tightlipped over the progress of the investigation. As nothing was found missing from the shop, the initial suspicion about robbery being the motive has been rendered unconvincing.
Police had found a country-made pistol, a magazine, an empty cartridge, three live rounds and a knife cover from the scene of the crime after the incident. Investigations into the case confirmed that Walke was shot at by one of the accused using the country-made pistol, and then stabbed with a knife multiple times following a scuffle.
The incident has elicited a furore among Margao residents, with many blaming political interference into police functioning for the deteriorating law and order situation.