New Delhi:
The three men arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the murder of BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj have reportedly refused to take part in an identification parade.
The accused - Purushottam Rana, Sunil Mann and Amit Kumar - told this to a court in Delhi today where they were produced this morning. They have reportedly argued that their photographs have been widely circulated in media reports and this could hamper their case.
The 62-year-old BSP leader, whose assets of Rs. 600 crore made him the richest candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, was shot dead at his farmhouse in Delhi on March 26.
Two of the three accused who allegedly shot at the politician were arrested by the police yesterday at a court where they had come to surrender. A third person, who is suspected to have been driving the car used by the shooters to escape from Mr Bhardwaj's farmhouse, was detained by the police on Sunday.
The police said the three men drove a dark grey Skoda car into his farmhouse, Nitish Kunj, on the National Highway 8 and gained entry at the gate on the pretext of booking the farmhouse for a wedding. Once inside they asked for Mr Bhardwaj, had an argument with him and then shot him twice at point-blank range. The police said security cameras at Mr Bhardwaj's farmhouse had captured their pictures.
Since the murder, the police have questioned Mr Bhardwaj's wife Ramesh Kumari and sons along with his staff. Investigators believe that a dispute over property or money was the motive for the murder.