While the prime accused is a policeman's son, a love-affair is stated to be the reason behind Mistry's murder. The accused were arrested under section 302 of the IPC and would be produced before a magistrate, where a remand would be sought, the police said.

The jeep (GJ 9 B 3682) used in the crime had also been seized by the police, who added that the accused had confessed to their crime.

Those arrested are Chirag Gunwantgiri Goswami, the son of PI Gunwantgiri Goswami of Jetpur police station of Rajkot district, Sandeep Vijaykumar Dutta, a resident of NTPC Township and Mazhar Ibrahim Retiwala of Nissar Society on Adajan Road.

Providing details, special branch ACP M B Pethani said that while the deceased, who dealt in cellular phones and SIM cards, was romantically involved with one Pinky, Goswami had an affair with a girl called Ketki. Suspecting Mistry of being involved with Ketki, Goswami decided to murder him.

According to the confession, the accused paged Mistry and called him with about half a dozen cell phones to MTB college. They then took him to a secluded spot off Hazira and while one accused strangled him with a belt, Goswami stabbed Mistry to death.

The three then dumped his body in a jeep, bought petrol worth Rs 100 from the city and drove it to Delwada on Saturday night, where they burnt the body and covered it with a few stones. The body was recovered the next day.