Patna, June 6: The special investigation team (SIT) prob-ing into the murder of Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh “Mukhiya” today claimed it was close to crack the case following the arrest of a sharp shooter in Jamshedpur last night.

A “breakthrough” by the five-member SIT came nearly five hours after the state government recommended the case to be handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation.

Sources said the SIT, constituted by the state police headquarters, has zeroed in on the assailants of Singh.

“A sharp shooter of a criminal gang allegedly owing allegiance to a legislator was arrested in Jamshedpur last night,” a source said.

“During investigation, it came to light that a resident of the Katira locality in Ara town was in constant touch with the politician before and after Singh’s murder,” the source added. The Ranvir Sena chief was shot dead when he had gone for a morning stroll at Katira in Ara town on June 1. Singh’s youngest son, Indubhushan, lodged a case with Nawada police station in Bhojpur district.

The house of the man in question, whose identity has been kept secret for obvious reasons, is located near Brahmeshwar’s residence. The site of occurrence is barely 200m from the suspect’s house, the sources said.

The sources added that a scrutiny of mobile phone calls revealed that the alleged assailant and the politician had talked for several minutes on May 31, June 1 and June 2.

“Calls were made even during odd hours. We had kept the mobile phone of the suspect under surveillance. The suspect is close to a controversial leader,” a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity. The suspect is yet to be arrested.

“A man was heard telling him (the alleged assailant) on mobile phone, ‘Bhag Jao police pakar legi (flee else police will catch you). The police believed that the suspect might have provided shelter to Singh’s assailants at his house,” a source said.

The members of the SIT also raided the house of one Hareram Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested election from Brahmapur in Buxar district on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket in 2005, at Katira and picked up one of his close relatives for interrogation.

A mobile phone and some incriminating documents were seized during the search of his house, which continued for about two hours.

Police sources said Pandey had several cases of murder, loot and extortion pending against him in Bhojpur and Buxar districts. He is at present lodged in Ara jail.