Mumbai, May 8: Mumbai Police has arrested seven individuals in connection with murder of Shiv Sena leader Sachin Sawant. Sawant was shot dead outside his residence in Kandivali on April 22. The accused have been produced before Mumbai's Metropolitian Court on Tuesday by Kurar Police station officers, who are investigation the case. All the accused were sent to seven day custody till May 8.

The individuals been identified as Lokesh Singh, Abhay Salunkhe Patil alias Barkya, Satyendra Ramji alias Sonu, Nilesh Sharma, Brijesh Patil alias Brija, Amit Singh and Brijesh Singh. While one more accused named Umesh Sahani is still absconding.

According to Police sources,  apart from Brijesh Singh, who was arrested from Malad, all the other accused were arrested from the same region in Uttar Pradesh.

The incident took place on April 22, soon after deceased Sawant and his family came back home from Lokhandwala circle in Kandivali after having snacks. Sachin got a call to attend a meeting at the Sena shakha, which is just 200 metres away from his house. The meeting was called to discuss issues regarding a slum rehabilitation project and contract. Soon after Sawant left his home to attend the meeting, two men on a motorbike fired five rounds at him and fled from the spot.

This was the third attack on Shiv Sena leaders in the last two months. Earlier, on April 20 a Shiv Sena worker was killed and his body was set ablaze. The deceased was later identified as Shailesh Nimse. According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Prashant Kadam of Shahapur, Thane district, the half-burnt body of Nimse was found near Ganeshpuri. However, the accused in the case is yet to be identified.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2018 06:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).