UPDATED: US-based NRI, Manoj S Patel shot dead:

One NRI sitting in the US gave the contract in India to eliminate another NRI


VADODARA, DECEMBER 17, 2004
TNN

Navrang Brahmbhatt is suspected to be the prime conspirator in a murder case. The police said that sitting in the US he gave the contract to eliminate another NRI.

Yet, despite unravelling the conspiracy bringing him here might prove to be a daunting task. In a sensational case here, the police managed to detain planners and shooters in the NRI murder case. But the hitch is to get Navrang Brahmbhatt who gave the contract from the US. Navrang, according to the police, had a financial row with victim Manoj Patel. .......Read More

NRI murder accused wives can accompany them in transit


Vadodara, November 26, 2004
Express News Service

The court of chief judicial magistrate M M Popat on Thursday granted permission to Crime Branch to transfer Kalpesh Kacchia to Bhavnagar jail and Kiran Jingar to Porbandar. Both Kacchia and Jingar are accused in the NRI Manoj Patel murder case.

The two were booked under PASA by Vadodara police commissioner before their arrest last month. The court, however, while giving permission, mandated accompanying of their wives while in transit.

This was in response to a petition filed by the accused, in which they feared death in a police encounter while in their custody. Soon after their arrest last month, the accused had filed a petition asking the court not to give their custody to police.

Kacchia and Jingar’s counsel had also pleaded that if police remand was given as a last resort, then the two be put in heavy chains. The idea was that police should not be able to show that the accused tried to escape and had to be killed in encounter.

The two are accused in the sensational murder of NRI Manoj Patel, who was shot dead from a point-blank range in Akota area of the city on April 4 this year.

Patel had come from the US and was residing at his parental home in Manjalpur. On the fateful day, he was on his way to his sister’s residence in Akota, when near Classic cross roads, two motorcycle-borne assailants closed in on him and shot him. Patel died on the spot. Investigation by the Crime Branch indicated toward a business rivalry back in the US as the cause of the murder.

Navrang Brahmbhatt, a Chicago-based businessman, had hired Kacchia and Jingar through his brother Pradip Brahmbhatt alias Buchio (a neighbour of Patel) over some business rivalry. Kacchia had then arranged a sharpshooter, Frederick Mcwan alias Fredie, to carry out the contract. Fredie too is behind the bars.


US-based NRI, Manoj S Patel shot dead in Vadodara



VADODARA, APRIL 05, 2004
PTI

A US-based NRI, Manoj S Patel was shot dead by some unidentified persons at Akota Garden crossing in the city on Sunday night, police said here on Monday.

City Police Commissioner Sudhir Kumar Sinha said that the deceased, based in Virginia, was driving his car on way to his sister's house in Akota when some unidentified persons fired at Patel from point blank range.

Passers-by took him to a nearby private hospital where he was declared dead on arrival, Sinha said, adding it was not known as to how many assailants were chasing Patel and how they reached there.

Manoj, a motel owner, had arrived in the city in January this year and was scheduled to return US tomorrow.

A note found in the deceased's wallet indicated that there was strained relationship between the man and his wife Ila, living in Virginia, USA.

Ila after divorcing her first husband Kaushik Patel, married Manoj in 1993 and has two children from him. Kaushik had given the motel to Ila after the divorce, investigations revealed, police said.

Both Kaushik and Ila hail form Gajera village in neighbouring Bharuch district.

Police team rushed to the village last night but could not locate Kaushik