The murder of Sachin Kurmi, a leader of the National Congress Party’s (NCP) Ajit Pawar faction, has ignited a political debate with police suspecting that the accused may have close ties to a political leader in the ruling government.

On Sunday, the police had reasoned “personal enmity” as the motive behind the murder. However, a recent interrogation suggests that the arrested accused and two others, who are still absconding, have close ties to a leader of the ruling party.