Mohammad Keshtiar could have gunman’s intended target in fatal Narre Warren shooting
UPDATE: UNDERWORLD figure Mohammad Keshtiar has had his bail revoked as part of an investigation into a fatal Narre Warren shooting. But he is not a suspect in the murder probe.
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UNDERWORLD figure Mohammad Keshtiar has had his bail revoked as part of an investigation into how a 26-year-old was gunned down in Melbourne’s southeast earlier this week.
Keshtiar — aka Afghan Ali — recently got out of prison and was a powerful figure within the Muslim prison population as well as among gangsters in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
He was in jail over the attempted murders of two people and a separate shooting.
Keshtiar is now back behind bars but the underworld figure is not a suspect in the murder probe.
“A 48-year-old Narre Warren man, who is a resident at the property where the shooting occurred, was taken into custody (on Friday) afternoon,’’ the police statement reads.
“He has not been charged with any offences at this time and police are not treating him as a suspect in this investigation.”
One theory police are understood to be investigating is whether or not Wednesday night’s fatal shooting is a case of mistaken identity.
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There is speculation the intended target was Keshtiar, who it is feared could begin flexing his muscle to make inroads into the drug trade in Melbourne’s southeast which is dominated by the Comancheros.
The victim was shot after getting out of his car and as he was approaching the front door of the house.
Homicide Squad Detective Insp Mick Hughes said the victim had been in contact with the occupants of the Kurrajong Rd house earlier in the day to arrange his visit.
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He was shot in a hail of bullets moments after arriving and could not be revived.
Police believe the shooter had lain in wait.
“We are as confident as we can be from a community safety aspect that this is a targeted attack,” Insp Hughes said.
“The victim has got out of his car and walked down the driveway.
“As soon as he has got to the front door, someone has ambushed him and he has been shot and fatally wounded.”
In 2014, Keshtiar was viewed as an influential figure in a plan for Mongol members to sell quotas of the drug ice.
The 47-year-old has been aligned to key Mongol members both inside and outside jail.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to murder his girlfriend and a close friend at a party in Burwood during a jealous rage.
After shooting the pair, Keshtiar called an ambulance and co-operated with police.
But at trial, he decided to plead not guilty, the court hearing he had agreed to take the rap for an underworld associate.
Police say the investigation into the death of the 26-year-old remains ongoing.
— with Mark Buttler, Andrea Hamblin, Ryan Tennison