Police personnel at the site where Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinod Ghosalkar's son Abhishek was shot, in Mumbai, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Abhishek was shot dead during a Facebook live by local social activist Mauris Noronha, who also ended his life by shooting self, according to police.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Local Mumbai politics of Municipal Ward No. 1 and the personal enmity between Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar and businessman-philanthropist Mauris Noronha alias Mauris Bhai seems to be the main reason behind the sensational murder and suicide in the financial capital of India.
The municipal Ward No. 1 of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) covers parts of Dahisar and Borivali on the West side.
The elections to BMC are due for some time and could be expected in 2024-25.
Mauris Bhai (52) fired a barrage of rounds at Abhishek Ghosalkar (41) and later shot himself in his office at IC Colony.
The Ward No. 1 had been represented by Abhishek Ghosalkar and his wife Tejasvee Ghosalkar earlier - and the couple was popular in the region for their social activities.
Abhishek Ghosalkar’s father Vinod Ghosalkar had represented Dahisar in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 2009-14.
On the other hand, Mauris Noronha, who had criminal antecedents, too had an ambition to contest the civic elections from Ward No 1.
In fact, Mauris Noronha had started preparations some time ago and he had worked extensively during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in and around the IC Colony.
“Trouble had started between Abhishek Ghosalkar and Mauris Bhai few years ago for a trivial issue and it kept on escalating as years passed on. However, of late there were reports that they were patching up. But what happened just seemed to be a trap to extract revenge,” said a source, who has lived in the Dahisar-Borivali area since his childhood and knows politicians across parties.
Mauris Bhai was also a poker player and frequently travelled abroad.
In 2022, Mauris Noronha faced serious legal troubles vis-a-vis a case of 2014 - when the police issued a lookout notice for him and booked him for charges included blackmailing, raping, cheating, and threatening a 48-year-old woman. Mauris Noronha suspected that the Ghosalkars were behind his troubles.
“Mauris Noronha had political ambitions and wanted to start from the BMC. In fact, his photos with top politicians, cutting across party lines, have emerged,” a senior police official said.
From the Facebook Live video it appeared that Mauris Bhai and Abhishek Ghosalkar had buried the hatchet, but it now seems that it was pre-planned.