Three persons including gangster Ilyas Bachkana have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a businessman, and demanding a ransom of ₹10 crores from a Byculla-based family.

According to the police, the incident happened on the night of Thursday when the victim, named Hifzur Rehman Ansari was made to sit inside a red-colour Maruti Suzuki car, near the gate of Harbour Crest building, a Shivdas Champsi road at Mazgaon Circle at Byculla.

Eyewitness was the main key to solving crime

The eyewitness of the entire incident is a man named Umar Dadan, who is a close friend of the family. Dadan told the police that one of the men inside the red car told Ansari to get in, and Ansari followed their instructions. The vehicle moved towards the Mazgaon Circle direction, said Dadan. At first, Dadan was under the impression that Ansari knew them, but till late that night, Ansari didn’t return home, and his phone was switched off.

Ansari’s son, Aakib (23) was informed about the entire situation by Dadan. “My father never turns off the phone, so we got worried and started searching for him at all possible locations he could be, but there were no traces of him,” said Aakib in his statement to the police.

At around 1:19 am on Friday, Aakib received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number, which was answered by Dadan. Dadan said the caller identified himself as ‘Ilyas Bachkana’, and the caller, who was under the impression that the one received the call was Aakib, hence he said, “Meine tere baap ko utha liya hai, mera paisa aur ghadi mili nahi” (I have kidnapped your father, I am yet to receive my money and watch). The call was disconnected by ‘Bachkana’, then Aakib received another call at around 1:25 am, where he demanded saying, “If you want your father back, you will have to pay me ₹10 crores.”

Police sought help of technical aid in tracing accused

After registering the FIR, police initiated their technical investigation and found traces of Ansari all the way up to the Mankhurd-Govandi area, from where Ansari was rescued. “He was tied up in an under-construction building, and following a search operation for the accused, we found the notorious gangster Illyas Abdul Aziz Khan alias Ilyas Bachkana. He has been arrested,” said a police official. While the other three persons involved in the kidnapping with Bachkana were arrested from the Byculla area.

Gangster, kidnapper turn out to be history sheeters

Reportedly, in 2022 Bachkana and Ansari were arrested by the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Crime Branch for allegedly conspiring together to kill a South Mumbai-based nut and bolts wholesale dealer named Raju Sikander in April of that year. Sikander and Ansari were business partners, and things started to get ugly between the two over a property dispute matter. Bachkana, who was arrested from Banglore by the CIU, is known to have at least 40 plus criminal cases against him that include murder, attempt to murder, supari killings, extortion, etc.

The motive behind the kidnapping is an old enmity between Ansari and Bachkana, informed police sources. Further probe is underway.