Navi Mumbai: A businessman residing in Airoli was arrested for allegedly murdering his business partner early Saturday morning. The accused, identified as Prakash Eknath Patil (35), allegedly stabbed Mahmand Shamim Shabir Shaikh (32) following a dispute.

According to police reports, Prakash Patil had misappropriated copper wire worth Rs. 3 lakh that had been allocated by their contractor, Hindustan Company, for motor winding work. This incident came to light when Mahmand Shamim Shaikh informed the company about the embezzlement, leading to both men being terminated from their jobs.

After the company's demands for repayment, tensions escalated between the two. On Friday night, Prakash Patil invited Mohammed Shamim to meet him near the Airoli railway station under the pretext of consuming alcohol. The meeting took place in a hut near Coral School in Airoli Sector-20B.

Witnesses reported that during their gathering, a heated argument erupted regarding the embezzlement accusations. The situation turned violent when Prakash Patil struck Mohammed Shamim on the head with a liquor bottle before fatally stabbing him multiple times. Prakash Patil sustained injuries during the altercation.

Following calls from local residents reporting a man lying in a pool of blood, Rabale police swiftly arrived at the scene. Upon discovering the victim's body, they detained Prakash Patil, who was also found injured. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime. Senior Police Inspector Balkrishna Sawant confirmed the arrest, and a murder case has been registered against Patil.

The writer is a freelancer