‘Hired shooter’ says knew neither victim nor ‘boss’

According to the government,Verma,who is reportedly a friend of Dr Sachan,had helped in hiring the shooters to kill Dr Singh.

What the police has not stated is that Tiwari worked as supervisor in Verma’s construction firm until some time ago while Vinod Sharma,a native of Basti,was his servant.

Tiwari spoke to the media as he sat by a window in the police van.

He said he had no idea how Sachan died as he was kept in high-security part of the jail and was not allowed to meet other inmates.

All three accused were brought to the court for hearing on application for their police remand,moved by investigating officer Abhimanyu Dhar Dwivedi,who is also station officer of the Gomti Nagar police station.

The court,however,gave their remand only for 48 hours beginning Saturday.

Advocate Servesh Kumar told the court that the police mercilessly beat up Tiwari after arresting him from his house on June 16 and forced him to sign blank papers.

Tiwari’s father Kedar Nath said,“Police has framed him and his boss.” He said police first picked his son for questioning on May 21. Later,on June 16,a police team picked Tiwari from his rented house. “I tried to find him,but failed. Next day,I found police had booked my son in the murder case,” said Kedar Nath.

Verma’s wife Mamta denied the government claim that her husband was Dr Sachan’s friend. Dr Sachan was known as an acquaintance who lived a little away from their residence in Jankipuram. She also said that her husband had dismissed Tiwari a few months ago following some financial regularities,but they don’t know Vinod Sharma.

Mamta said police had once questioned her husband in first week of June.

They arrested him on June 16 from home in the presence of some guests. “I was preparing snacks inside the kitchen when the policemen came. My husband asked them to let him inform me,but they just took him. Since then, I haven’t met him,’’ said Mamta who stays with two daughters.