UPI Digital Trail, Reverse Tracking Crack Advocate Khaja Moizuddin Murder Case in 7 Days

Investigators got a second key lead when they discovered that after the murder, the accused had gone to Monda Market for breakfast and made a payment through a digital UPI platform, helping police establish his movement after the crime.

The probe became difficult after the accused allegedly procured new SIM cards to avoid detection. While analysing tower dumps around the crime spot, police found suspicious newly-activated numbers. Upon examining their call data records, investigators found links to the accused. The new SIM cards, allegedly used by accused Muneer alias Chaous, were traced to calls made to other conspirators.

The SIM cards were last switched off near the residence of prime accused Mujahid Alam Khan, while their first recorded location was near a college in Mallepally, where it is suspected the conspiracy meetings took place.

The police also found that the vehicle used in the murder had allegedly been purchased to execute the crime on December 29, 2025. Police said the son-father duo of Mujahid Alam Khan and Mahbub Alam Khan initially planned to warn the advocate against pursuing cases against them nearly seven months ago, but later decided to eliminate him.

Sources said that Mujahid had challenged the investigators, claiming they could never establish a link to the murder and allegedly boasted that he would write his entire property to the police if they proved otherwise. The police cracked the case — which was in planning for seven months — in seven days. He remained uncooperative during questioning before being produced before a magistrate on Friday evening.

Advocate Murder: Six Arrested In Contract Killing Linked To Waqf Land Dispute

The police on Friday announced the arrest of Mujahid Alam Khan and his father Mahbub Alam Khan and four others for the murder of senior advocate and Wakf activist Khaja Moizuddin, who was struck down by an SUV in front of his house early on May 23.

Deccan Chronicle had exclusively reported the arrest of the son-father duo on Friday.

At a press conference later in the day, police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar described it as a meticulously planned contract murder linked to long-standing Waqf land disputes.

Sajjanar added: "Investigation revealed that disputes were going on since 2013 regarding the properties in Malakpet and Lakdikapul, where multiple civil, criminal and Waqf Tribunal cases are pending for years between the family of the deceased advocate and the accused."

Police said Mahbub and Mujahid Alam Khan believed that Moizuddin’s involvement in legal proceedings was causing them repeated legal setbacks and humiliation. Mujahid Alam Khan allegedly conspired with his father Mahbub Alam Khan to eliminate the advocate through hired assailants and a contract was set for `15 lakh, Sajjanar said.

Apart from Mujahid Alam Khan (A1) and Mahbub Alam Khan (A2), the other accused whose arrest was announced were Abhijeeth alias Nani (A4), Dighan Vinay (A5), Vikram Aditya alias Chintu (A8) and Manideep alias Pogo Nani (A10). Efforts are underway to apprehend remaining absconding accused — Hassan Ali alias Chaous, Muneer and Kishan alias Pappu, who played key role in coordinating the murder conspiracy.

Sajjanar said that the murder was neither impulsive nor sudden but a carefully planned operation. The officer said, "The accused were involved in surveilling the place for four to five months. From January 2026, accused Kishan, along with Vinay, Abhijeeth, Vikram and Deen Dayal, conducted extensive reconnaissance around the advocate’s residence and monitored his routine movements to identify the most suitable time and place to execute the killing."

Moizuddin’s early morning swimming schedule became the focus of the accused. At about 5.45 am on May 23, the senior advocate stepped out of his residence and approached his vehicle parked outside as part of his daily routine to head to the Nizam Club for a swim. At that moment, an SUV without number plates waiting near the residence sped towards him and rammed into Moizuddin with force. The impact threw the advocate nearly 10 metres away and left him severely injured. Family members and locals rushed him to a nearby hospital and later shifted him to another hospital in Abids, where he died while undergoing treatment.

Sajjanar added, "A complaint lodged by the advocate’s son M.S. Farhan initially led to registration of a case at Nampally police station under provisions relating to rash driving and causing death. After investigators examined CCTV footage and established deliberate intent, the case was altered to murder charges."

Nampally police, along with zonal senior officials and Task Force teams started working on technical and scientific evidence and were dispered to various places. Sajjanar stated that CCTV footage played a crucial role in unravelling the conspiracy.

Visuals showed the SUV waiting near the residence before targeting the advocate while he was entering his vehicle. Investigators later traced the accused through footage collected from a lodge in Secunderabad and a hotel in Narayanguda.

Mujahid Alam Khan and Mahbub Alam Khan allegedly roped in close associates Hassan Ali alias Chaous and Muneer, who coordinated with Kishan alias Pappu to arrange logistics and execute the killing.

Sajjanar said, "Mujahid arranged an initial amount of `2 lakh through Hassan Ali for procurement of the vehicle. Kishan recruited Vinay, who engaged Abhijeeth through Vikram for execution of the murder. Following technical evidence, teams tracked Kishan to Panipat in Haryana where a special team apprehended him on May 27. During interrogation, Kishan confessed to the conspiracy and disclosed the roles played by each accused in planning, surveillance, procurement of the vehicle and execution of the murder."

Based on his confession and technical leads, police teams launched coordinated operations and arrested Mujahid Alam Khan and Mahbub Alam Khan, Abhijeeth, Vinay, Vikram Aditya and Manideep.

Abhijeeth drove the vehicle for monetary consideration. Cash of `2.8 lakh and a mobile phone were seized from him. Vinay procured the vehicle and took part in reconnaissance. Police teams seized the vehicle, a mobile phone and `4.5 lakhs cash from him. Officials said Vinay and Vikram also have previous criminal records.

Police seized a total cash of `10.10 lakh, mobile phones and the vehicle used in the offence. Further investigation was underway to trace the remaining accused and gather additional technical and documentary evidence linked to the conspiracy.