Mumbai, August 31: A convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case, Munna Gupta, was on Sunday arrested by the Azad Maidan police for kidnapping his business partner and later confining his wife and two children in his (Gupta’s) Kandivli flat. He has been booked for assault, kidnapping,P6-4.TIMfinement and issuing threats.
Gupta, a key aide of gangster Ejaz Pathan, had helped associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim land the RDX consignments at Shekadi Coast in Raigad. In 2007, Gupta was sentenced to 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment. He was released soon after as the period was set off against the term he had already completed in jail as an undertrial prisoner.
The complaint was filed by Shabbir Safdar Sayed (42), a garment exporter. Sayed operates out of his office at Dalal street in Mumbai Central. Two years ago, Gupta, through a common friend, entered into a partnership with Sayed, who also owns a shop at Ashoka shopping mall at LT Marg in south Mumbai.
Recently, Gupta demanded that Sayed pay him Rs 26.5 lakh as his profit share. “This resulted in a dispute. On August 26, Gupta’s associates barged into Ashoka shopping mall and forced Sayed into a car. They then took him to Gupta’s residence in Kandivli east,” said an officer.
En route, Gupta and his aides allegedly abused and hit Sayed. “The accused asked Sayed to call his wife over to Gupta’s flat. When Sayed’s wife arrived along with their two kids, the accused pushed all of them into a room and locked it,” added the officer.
Sayed, who had his cellphone on him, called up the police control room. The Samta Nagar police rushed to the flat and rescued the family. However, Gupta and his associates had fled from the flat before their arrival. The police have recorded Sayed’s complaint. The case has been transferred to the Azad Maidan police as Sayed’s kidnapping took place in their jurisdiction.
—Agencies