Mailardevpally police have successfully thwarted a high-stakes contract killing, arresting three individuals involved in a ₹9 lakh murder-for-hire scheme. Among those taken into custody was a home guard assigned to the Falaknuma police station, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as 43-year-old Imran Khan, a businessman and the alleged mastermind behind the plot; Mohammed Saif, 21, an AC technician hailing from Vattipally; and Nenavath Sriram, 35, a home guard (HG-3076) from Falaknuma.
During the arrests, officials confiscated crucial evidence, including two knives, two motorcycles, three mobile phones, ₹10,000 in cash, and a photograph of the intended victim.
According to police investigations, the sinister plot was orchestrated by Imran Khan, a businessman residing in Diamond Hills, Shastripuram. His motive was rooted in a protracted dispute with Yaseen Khan, a former associate from Vattipally, over a used vehicle trading business. This conflict had previously escalated a year ago when Yaseen Khan was allegedly attacked at his residence by Shaik Amer, Mohd Sohail, and others, who were subsequently arrested and jailed.
Investigators revealed that Imran Khan recently commissioned a man named Ibrahim to assassinate his former associate, whom he suspected of harboring old grudges. Ibrahim, in turn, recruited Mohammed Saif, Nenavath Sriram, Shahbaz, Shayab, and Bawajir to execute the murder.
The conspirators reportedly convened in the fields of Barkas on September 21, 2025. There, Imran Khan offered ₹9 lakh for the murder, providing an initial advance of ₹60,000, four knives, and the target’s photograph. Ibrahim distributed ₹10,000 among the co-conspirators. Notably, Sriram, the home guard, allegedly promised the group that police protection could be arranged if necessary.
The planned murder attempt was scheduled for September 22 at the Nice Hotel in Vattipally.
However, acting on timely intelligence, police intervened and apprehended the conspirators before the heinous act could be carried out. Saif and Sriram were arrested after a brief chase, while Imran Khan was apprehended at his home.
All three accused have been remanded to judicial custody, and further investigation into the case is ongoing.