Goon who shot at RTI activist held in Mumbai

Ahmedabad Mirror

After recovering a revolver from Shailesh Pandya, the Mumbai Crime Branch booked the 36-year-old from Patan under the Arms Act. He will be produced before a magistrate in Mumbai on Wednesday.


The person who  shot dead prominent RTI activist Amit Jethava outside Gujarat High Court in July this year, was arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday. Shailesh Nanalal Pandya alias Sanjay Rabari was arrested by the Kurla unit of Mumbai Crime Branch.

They recovered a revolver from his possession. The 36-year-old accused hails from Patan. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch has booked Pandya under the Arms Act and will produce him in a local court on Wednesday. He will be subsequently handed over to the Gujarat police, Mumbai’s Additional Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said.

According to police, Inspector Agarwal and API Ghuge of the Kurla crime unit rounded up Pandya on a tip-off at Kapadia Nagar Society in Kurla West on Tuesday. During preliminary investigation, Pandya is alleged to have claimed that he shot dead Jethava on the directions of some person. Mumbai police officials, however, are not ready to divulge more details.

green crusader’s death

Jethava, a known RTI activist and a ‘green crusader’ was spearheading a campaign against alleged illegal mining in the Gir Sanctuary of Saurashtra, which was allegedly supported by some politicians. Jethava had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gujarat High Court in May this year alleging that mining activities were being carried out in Una and Kodinar of Saurashtra allegedly by Junagadh BJP MP Solanki and his relatives.

On August 20, two motorcycle-borne persons killed Jethava near Satyamev Complex opposite Gujarat High Court at 8.45 pm. 


Since then constable Bahadursinh Wader, Shiva Pachan alias Shiva Solanki and Sanjay Chauhan have been arrested. Earlier, on September 7, Shiva Solanki, a nephew of Junagadh BJP MP Dinubhai Boghabhai Solanki was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for his alleged role in the murder.

Another shooter held

Pandya’s name as the shooter had cropped up during interrogation. Uday Thakor, who was with Pandya when the latter shot dead the RTI activist, was caught at Geeta Mandir on October 2.

As per the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, the conspiracy to kill Jethava was hatched at Shivalaya Complex office of Shiva alias Pratap Solanki in the presence Wader, a former constable. According to cops, Pratap, a former vice-president of Kodinar panchayat, and the constable are childhood friends. 

Crime Branch inspector S M Choudhary said Solanki ‘hired’ Wader to find a shooter, and he was ready to spend any amount of money required to eliminate Jethava. He said Jethava was a thorn in the flesh for the Solankis owing to his opposition to ‘illegal’ mining in which the Solankis are alleged to have a major stake.

Choudhary said Solanki had given Pandya Rs 11 lakh to kill Jethava and the police were trying to trace the source of the money.  Pandya, a former teacher, also faces an attempt to murder case in Gujarat, police added.

Another challenge before the sleuths is to determine the motive and the political pressure behind the killing of the RTI activist. The police have not recorded Dinu Solanki’s statement till now.