The police in Amethi have filed a first information report against five persons in connection with the murder of Surendra Singh, a close aide of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Smriti Irani, PTI reported on Sunday. The police have taken seven people into custody, said Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Om Prakash Singh.

Fifty-year-old Singh, a village head, was shot dead by two unidentified persons around 11.30 pm on Saturday.

“We have come to know about an old enmity,” Om Prakash Singh told reporters in Lucknow. “We are also trying to find out if there was any political enmity. The initial investigation has thrown up some vital clues. UP police teams are conducting a very intensive investigation. We have also got important evidence through electronic surveillance.”

The state police chief said he was hopeful of investigators solving the case within 12 hours as demanded by Chief Minister Adityanath earlier in the day.

Surendra Singh’s elder brother, in his first information report, said the BJP leader was sleeping in the verandah of their home along with his sons. They were woken up by sound of gunshots and saw three men, identified as Wasim, his brother Nasim and Golu, running away. “Across the road, we saw Ramchandra,” the FIR reads. “Ramchandra was involved in a scuffle with one of my nephews during the Lok Sabha polls, due to which the incident took place,” .

Jamo police station house officer said Wasim, Nasim, Golu and Ramchandra have been booked for Surendra Singh’s murder. The fifth accused, Dharamnath Gupta, who the FIR alleges was part of the conspiracy, has also been charged.

Smriti Irani, who wrested the Amethi Lok Sabha seat from Congress President Rahul Gandhi, attended Surendra Singh’s funeral and was also one of the pall-bearers. She asked party workers to “exercise restraint”. “My request is to all party workers is that we should exercise restraint,” she told the media. The newly elected MP said she would personally ensure that Singh’s culprits receive the death penalty.