Nagpur: Sadar Police, investigating the murder case of photographer Vinay, also known as Bablu Poonekar, have uncovered a shocking twist– the accused were involved in a blackmailing racket targeting Poonekar for the past two years. Simultaneously, it has been revealed that the shooter, Hemant Shukla, employed similar tactics of blackmailing with seven other persons in Nagpur.
The complexity of the case has left investigators shocked as emerging information sheds light on the motives behind the crime. According to police, accused Sakshi Grover (35) and shooter Hemant Shukla were extorting money from Poonekar. Further investigation revealed that Hemant Shukla had taken control of Sakshi Grover’s WhatsApp account, recording chats between Poonekar and Sakshi, as well as those with other persons. Shukla would subsequently approach these people, using the recorded conversations to extort money. Poonekar, too, fell victim to Shukla’s threats for financial gains.
According to a local daily report, Sakshi Grover, now in police custody for photographer Vinay Poonekar’s murder, is learnt to be changing her statements during interrogation by Sadar police ever since the court remanded her to custody till February 29. The cops believe the arrest of shooter Hemant Shukla, a paramour of Sakshi, will unveil several unknown aspects of the Poonekar murder case, including Sakshi’s role, and also expose the wider sextortion network involving others too.
The Nagpur police are trying to trace shooter Hemant Shukla in North India with the help of cyber experts, but he is changing locations swiftly to dodge the cops. The report said a cat-and-mouse game is on between Shukla and city police in various locations in Uttar Pradesh.
Sakshi Grover was also the last one to speak to Poonekar, and told him to wait at home for her. Shukla went there instead and shot dead Poonekar. There is a question mark on why Sakshi helped Shukla, a gym trainer, reach Nagpur, shoot Poonekar and later flee the city.
Poonekar was friendly with Sakshi, a widow, who had shifted back to Nagpur from Katni in Madhya Pradesh around six months back. The report said Shukla was trying to extort money from Poonekar on the basis of some chats and videos of his with Sakshi and others.
Last year, Poonekar had filed a complaint with the Cyber Police regarding threatening calls from Shukla, but no action was taken by the police at that time.
It is worth noting that Hemant Shukla, hailing from Azamgarh, brazenly entered Poonekar’s house in broad daylight, fatally shooting him twice last Saturday. Sakshi, originally from Madhya Pradesh, had lost her husband three years ago and had relocated to her parents’ residence in Nagpur during this period. It was during this time that Hemant, employed as a trainer in a relative’s gym, crossed paths with Sakshi.
