Sunny Kumar demanded transfer of this murder case to the Mumbai crime branch.
 
"For the past six months, my father had been urging the Navi Mumbai police to grant him security as he had been getting a lot of threats from various other builders who had criminal connections. However, no protection was provided to him."
 
Lahoria had exposed various illegal construction activities and FSI (floor space index) violations in several buildings in Navi Mumbai.
 
He had filed a writ petition in the Bombay  High Court and had openly challenged the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Cidco for allowing illegal constructions. In the process, he had made a number of people his enemies.

Loharia had filed  dozens of RTIs which revealed how well known establishments in Navi Mumbai, including the City Centre Mall, Palm Beach Galleria Mall, Fortune Hotel and Shreeji Heights, had illegally used more FSI and carpet area than they were entitled to as per the development plan.

Loharia also had offices in Auckland apart from Mumbai.

Loharia's  son said, “After I got word that my father had been shot, I immediately rushed to the hospital around 8.40 am. As he lay in the ICU, he told me “Don't worry, nothing will happen to me.” While we were waiting outside the ICU, a crowd had gathered. Someone from the crowd came to my mother and handed her a phone. The person on the other end of the line said, “Your husband will not survive.”

Moments after he called, the doctors called us from inside ICU and told us my father had passed away. I don't understand how this is possible as he was talking when I met him. He had been brought in at 8.40 but it was 10.30 by the time he had been properly attended to.”

He said the family had no idea who the caller was.

Hospital sources too rubbished allegations of delay. “The patient was brought to the hospital with multiple gunshots and stab wounds and a non-recordable BP. We tried our best to revive the patient but he could not be saved,” says a statement from Fortis Hiranandani Hospital in Vashi.

Meanwhile, Venkatesh Shettiar, who was nabbed,  has told police that the man with him during the shooting of the builder is the brother of a politician in the city.