Jamshedpur, Dec. 4: At least six steel city businessmen, including a hotelier, two scrap dealers and a builder, are being quizzed on gangster Akhilesh Singh, the prime accused in the daring daylight shooting of former JMM leader Upendra Singh on civil court premises last week.

Most of these people are being interrogated at Sakchi thana while some are being grilled at Golmuri thana. Police have also widened their manhunt from Jharkhand to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh amid plans to move the high court, seeking cancellation of Akhilesh's bail and obtaining an arrest warrant against him.

City SP Prashant Anand confirmed that separate teams had been sent on outstation missions. "We are doing everything we can to nab the key conspirator (Akhilesh) and his men," the officer said, but remained tight-lipped on what interrogations of the businessmen, some of whom are closely associated with the gangster, were yielding.

Sources at the two thanas said hotelier Binod Singh was allowed to leave police station in the small hours today after two days of grilling while the rest were still under detention.

"These men provided financial support to the gangster who has a network across Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and even parts of Delhi. They helped Akhilesh make money through extortion, realty contracts and scrap commissions. Rough estimates suggest he has invested over Rs 100 crore in real estate business and industries in the city," said a source.

A police officer, requesting anonymity, said Akhilesh and his henchmen often visited hotel Citi Inn, in suburban Pardih, owned by Binod Singh. "Binod also has a flat in Baridih, where the gangster often stays during his visits to the steel city."

According to the officer, scrap dealer and Telco resident Sanjay Palsania was under lens for having gifted Akhilesh an Audi in recent times while another scrap trader Chintu Bhalotia and builder Jitendra Prasad helped the gangster amass enormous wealth.

"We are trying to trace the Audi, and pause business dealings of these detained men so that the gangster's finances weaken," the officer added.

Upendra Singh (56), who owned hotel and transport businesses in Sakchi and was accused in a murder attempt on Akhilesh a year ago, was shot dead by gunmen at Jamshedpur Bar Association building on Sitaramdera civil court premises on November 30.

Two of the five gunmen, allegedly employed by Akhilesh, have been arrested. While one has been sent to jail, the other is being treated for a bullet wound sustained during exchange of fire with the victim's bodyguards.