Police book 2 men for threatening civic contractor

Mumbai: The Byculla police on Saturday registered a case against two persons for allegedly flashing a sword at and threatening a south Mumbai-based civic contractor with dire consequences if he did not send money to history-sheeter Ilyas Bachkana’s house and help him secure bail.

On November 23 last year, Bachkana and six other associates had allegedly kidnapped the same contractor, Hifzur Rahman Ansari from Mazgaon Circle, and demanded a ransom of ?10 crore from his family. The Anti -Extortion Cell (AEC) had traced Ansari to the Mandala area in Mankhurd on November 24, where he was found confined in a room, with his hands and legs tied using a rope. Bachkana and his associates were subsequently arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and are currently in jail.

As per the complaint submitted by the 56-year-old Ansari to the police, at around 6.45pm on March 22, Ahmed Khan, one of the accused, approached him while he was parking his bike outside his residential compound at Mazgaon. Khan, who was allegedly carrying a sword, abused and threatened him, saying, “Ramzan is going on. Send money to Bachkana’s house and try to secure bail for him in the case. If the money is not given within three-four days, we will kill you.”

At around 8pm the same day, the contractor received a missed call on WhatsApp from a person named Riyaz Shah, Ansari mentioned in the complaint. When he called back, the receiver too threatened him, saying, “Take Ahmed’s word seriously. Else, be prepared to face the consequences.”

Based on his complaint, the Byculla police registered an FIR against Ahmed and Shah under section 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Arms Act.

“Ahmed Khan was called for inquiry but he denied the allegation. We have been checking CCTV footage of the crime scene and once we get some evidence, legal action will be initiated,” said a senior officer.