Prime witness in Kala Ghoda shootout case turns hostile

In a big blow to the prosecution, the prime witness in the Kala Ghoda shootout case has turned hostile after repeated transfer of the case from the Mumbai Crime Branch to the local police.

Milind Ramesh Khot (32) is the key witness for the prosecution as he had seen the accused from a close distance.

Khot, however, refused to identify the accused during the identification parade at Arthur Road jail, stating that the case has cost him his livelihood.

Khot said he used to stay at suburban Parel with his mother and earned Rs 2000 per month by working as a peon with a software firm and added that following his regular absence from work due to the case, he was sacked.

On October 16, 2006, Khot was at the Kala Ghoda junction in south Mumbai when three persons shot dead two people. When he started running behind the shooters, one of them turned back and shot two rounds to scare him away, according to Khot's statement at the Colaba police station.

Khot then informed a constable about the incident and his statement was recorded at the Colaba police station. In his statement, Khot had said he had seen all the three accused closely and could identify them easily.

The case, first investigated by the Colaba Police, was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch only to be transferred back to the station again.

Khot was regularly summoned to the crime branch office, Colaba police station and Arthur road prison regarding the case.

Two persons Zafar Khan and Osama Khan, who had allegedly shot dead Amjad Khan and Himanshu Chaudhari due to a gang rivalry, have been arrested.

-- (UNI) -- 05BY23.xml

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