While police claim to have conclusive evidence against the accused, two of whom are business magnates and trustees of the Guruganesh Ashram where the Muni was murdered on June 30, they are anxiously awaiting the outcome of their appeal before the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court requesting further custody of the accused. The appeal is scheduled for hearing on Monday by Justice S S Dani. The accused were earlier granted bail by the additional sessions judge on August 18. Justice Dani subsequently issued notices to all the accused asking why their bail should not be cancelled.

Among the accused are Dr Champalal Desarda, Suwalal Chalani, his son Sandeep, his friend Balu Surana, principal of the DKMM Homoeopathic College, Dr Shantilal Desarda, a supervisor at the ashram, Bhikchand Pipada, and Sanjay Bhadawe.While the latter has been booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, the others have been booked under Section 120(b) (criminal conspiracy).

However, none of the accused have turned approver and legal experts say any case under Section 120(b) can make little headway without an approver. Also, all the accused, with the exception of Bhadawe, are outside the Aurangabad district limits as per the conditions for bail laid down by the additional sessions judge. Among the clinching evidence claimed by the police are details of a meeting attended by all the accused at the residence of Suwalal Chalani a few days before the murder. It was at this meeting that the accused decided to depute Pipada to mediate with Bhadawe, who was allegedly asked to execute the murder.

Sources also say that an influential business magnate dealing in car finance was also present at this meeting. This financer had also allegedly played a crucial role while mediating with a journalist who had promised the accused that hewould `manage' the police to ensure that they were not harassed while in police custody. The journalist later approached Police Commissioner Sripad Kulkarni, and confessed to the incident. The financer, an integral part of the conspiracy, has curiously been left scot free.