'Met shooter at a wedding' - How Patna trader masterminded Gopal Khemka's murder

Gopal Khemka

In a major breakthrough in the high-profile killing of businessman Gopal Khemka, Patna Police have arrested trader Ashok Kumar Sao, alleged to be the mastermind behind the murder. The arrest, carried out late Monday night, followed the confession of the suspected shooter Umesh Yadav, who claimed he was paid Rs 4 lakh by Sao to execute the crime.

Khemka, a prominent figure in Patna’s business community, was gunned down outside his apartment complex on the night of July 4. As reported by TOI, the police were able to trace the assailant by following leads from the motorcycle used in the murder. This led to Umesh’s arrest and ultimately, Sao’s.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya K Sharma told reporters that during interrogation, Umesh admitted to shooting Khemka and revealed that the murder weapon, a firearm, was hidden in a locked room at his residence. Police later recovered the gun along with 59 bullets and two magazines carrying 14 rounds.

According to police, Sao and Umesh had known each other for over a year after first meeting at a wedding. Since then, Umesh had been working sporadically for Sao. “About six weeks ago, Sao plotted Khemka's murder and hired Umesh to arrange weapons,” SSP Sharma said, as quoted by TOI. An advance of Rs 50,000 was reportedly paid, with the remaining Rs 3.5 lakh delivered in cash a day after the murder.

Initially, Umesh had tried to engage professional shooters from Patna City and had approached a known arms dealer named Vikas, alias Raja. However, when the latter quoted a higher price, Umesh decided to carry out the shooting himself, using a weapon allegedly provided by Sao.

On the night of the murder, Umesh is believed to have tailed Khemka from the Bankipore Club to his apartment, shooting him near the gate at around 11.45 pm. Police say Sao had briefed Umesh in detail about Khemka’s routine.

After the killing, as per TOI, the duo met at JP Ganga Path, under the Malsalami police station area, where Sao allegedly handed over the remaining Rs 3.5 lakh. Police say a mobile phone and SIM card had been purchased in Umesh’s name for communication during the operation, in a bid to insulate Sao from direct involvement.

A raid on Sao’s flat under the Gandhi Maidan police station limits yielded Rs 6.5 lakh in cash, a 9 mm pistol with 17 rounds and several documents related to land transactions.

Director General of Police Vinay Kumar, addressing the media, said that multiple phone calls between Sao and other businessmen have been retrieved. "We are reviewing all communications to ascertain the motive behind Khemka's murder and the possible business-related conflict,” he said. At the briefing, Kumar played an audio clip of a heated argument between Sao and another businessman, highlighting the ongoing tensions.

According to TOI, police suspect that a longstanding land dispute was at the heart of the conflict. While the exact cause remains under investigation, the DGP confirmed that Sao had previously been linked to several criminal cases, most notably the 2002 Manoj Kamalia murder and the killing of Santosh Tebriwal. He had also served jail time over a cold storage dispute in Biharsharif.

The case has revived memories of the 2018 murder of Gopal Khemka’s son, Gunjan, in Vaishali district, which was also believed to be linked to land issues. In that incident, both Gunjan and the alleged shooter Abhishek died. Investigators are now looking into possible connections between the two cases and the involvement of individuals both behind bars and at large.

Police have also hinted at the potential role of jailed gangster Ajay Verma, currently lodged in Beur Jail, in orchestrating aspects of both murders.