May 7: A dispute over his brother's allegedly illegal construction of chawls at Kandivli could have led to the gunning-down of businessman Sadanand Shetty at Malad on Tuesday morning.

According to joint commissioner, Crime, Ranjit Singh Sharma, Shetty's brother Sudhakar was said to be involved in the unauthorised construction of about 300 tenements in chawls at Kandivli. It resulted in disputes over rights to the property.

Sharma said though Shetty did not directly have a hand in the construction, there were reasons to believe that he must have been seen as an enemy along with his brother.

Sources also said that the construction was made possible because of the immense clout Sudhakar wielded on behalf of gangster Sharad Shetty, a close aide of ganglord Dawood Ibrahim.

As a fall-out, the police suspect, Shetty might have been mistaken by the killers for Sudhakar.

The police have also confirmed it was the latter who was running Vidya Beer Bar, Deepa Beer Bar and Air to Air Beauty Parlour at Kandivli. Besides, he has stakes in three other beer bars in the area.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.