Pune: Pimpri Chinchwad Police Arrest Criminal Sonya Tapkir’s Killers In Uttar Pradesh
Pimpri Chinchwad, 4th July 2023: Three individuals, including the mastermind, have been arrested by the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Crime Branch in Uttar Pradesh for the murder of notorious criminal Sonya Tapkir. The accused were planning to escape to Nepal.
The incident took place on May 22, and the accused were on the run since then. The arrested persons have been identified as Karan Ratan Rokde (25 years old, residing in Chikhali, Pune), Ritvik alias Mungya Ratan Rokde, and Rinku Dinesh Kumar (19 years old). A minor involved in the crime has also been taken into custody.
According to the police, Sonya Tapkir was fatally shot in broad daylight, with Karan Rokde being the main perpetrator and the others aiding him. Following the murder, the accused fled the city. A case was registered at Chikhli police station under sections 302 and 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.
The accused had been evading arrest by constantly moving between different cities and states, such as Lonavla, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. They frequently changed residences and concealed their identities. However, a breakthrough came when the policeman Sham Baba of the Anti-Gunda Squad received a tip-off about the whereabouts of the main suspect, Karan Rokde, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Acting swiftly, the police team arrived in Uttar Pradesh, only to discover that the accused had shifted to Madhuban in Mau district, approximately 750 km from Mathura, with plans to escape to Nepal.
The police cordoned off the building where the accused were staying, but as soon as they realized the presence of police, Karan Rokde and his three companions leaped from the first floor and fled into a nearby field. The police gave chase and successfully apprehended Karan Rokde.
The arrested individuals have been brought back to Pimpri Chinchwad and presented before the Morwadi court. Following the request of the police, the court granted custody till July 6 for further investigation. The Chikhli police are now investigating the case.
The action was taken under the guidance of DCP (Crime Branch) Swapna Gore and ACP Satish Mane. The team included Assistant Police Inspector HV Mane, Sagar Panmand and policemen Hazrat Pathan, Pravin Tapkir, Sopan Thokal, Gangaram Chavan, Vikram Jagdale, Ganesh Medge, Vijay Gambhire, Sham Baba, Vijay Telewar, Mayur Dalvi, Ramdas Mohite, Shubham Kadam, Dnyaneshwar Giri, Tausif Shaikh, Nagesh Mali and Popat Hulge.
