Four criminals arrested for abducting developer & seeking Rs 1cr ransom

Kolhapur: Four criminals on police records were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly abducting a city-based real estate developer, demanding a ransom of Rs 1 crore and threatening him and his workers.The case came to light after developer Nilesh Suresh Jadhav lodged a complaint with the Juna Rajwada police station on June 30. Based on the complaint, police registered FIR against five people, and arrested Ajit Bhagwan Tiwade, Fayyaj Isak Nagraji, Lakhan Balasaheb Mane and Sanjay Mahavir Kirangi. One accused remains absconding.According to the FIR, the abduction took place in April when Tiwade of Ruikar Colony allegedly took Jadhav to his office and demanded Rs 1 crore within 15 days.

Jadhav told the police that he was released only after his brother assured the accused that the money would be paid.“Fearing for his life and the safety of his family, Jadhav stopped construction work at his project site and shifted to Pune. Despite this, the accused allegedly continued to create terror at the construction site by harassing workers and threatening them with dire consequences if the work resumed,” police said, citing the complaint.

The accused have been arrested under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including extortion, wrongful confinement, abduction, criminal trespass, intentional insult, criminal intimidation and common intention. They were produced before a Kolhapur court, which remanded them to police custody till July 6, inspector Kiran Londe said.Police said Tiwade has a long criminal history. He was earlier booked in connection with the 2010 murder of then Kolhapur Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Avadhoot Malvi. The case was registered at the Rajarampuri police station. Tiwade was also booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and spent nearly a decade in jail before securing bail.Tiwade had also contested the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation elections as an Independent candidate from the Ruikar Colony area. He finished third, securing 2,182 votes.