Ranchi: The prime accused in the murder of land broker Jannat Hussain surrendered in court on Monday, two days after the 40-year-old's bullet-riddled body was found in an abandoned stone quarry in Jhiri, 20km from the city.

The court of chief judicial magistrate forwarded Gulzar Hussain (35), Jannat's nephew and business associate, to Birsa Munda Central Jail for 14 days. Police are likely to seek his remand for questioning.

Gulzar, a resident of Jaipur village in Kanke, had a payment dispute over 14 cottah land with his uncle and police suspect the motive was strong enough for the man and his four aides to abduct Jannat on June 1, kill him and then dump the body in a place where nobody would come looking anytime soon.

"We have recovered three spent cartridges from the crime scene, but the weapon used is still missing. Gulzar and his aides (two of them arrested earlier) need to be grilled about the gun and more. We will apply for police remand (in court) tomorrow (Tuesday)," said Kanke thana OC Rajiv Ranjan.

Gulzar's partners in the crime - Zakir Khan and Babloo Mirdha - were arrested within a few hours of the murder. Two others, Pawan Yadav and Golu Singh, are absconding.

Sources in police said Jannat also ran the Jannat Hussain Riding Club in Kanke and made decent money. "He shouldn't have started land brokering with his nephew, a history-sheeter who has been arrested in several cases of robbery and abduction for ransom," a policeman said.