Mumbai estate agent held for abducting 12-yr-old girl in Ghatkopar
He allegedly abducted the minor from BEST colony around 9am while she was on her way to her tuition class...
An estate agent was arrested on Sunday for allegedly kidnapping a 12-year-old girl from Ghatkopar. The accused was identified as Prabhu Santosh Khedekar, an estate agent. He allegedly abducted the minor from BEST colony around 9am while she was on her way to her tuition class.
“Khedekar told the girl that her father was taken to the police station and that she too was summoned by the police,” said Manoj Lohia, additional commissioner of police (east region).
Cops said he then threatened the girl at knifepoint and forced her to sit on his motorcycle. He then asked the girl for her father’s contact details. Khedekar then called her father and demanded a ransom of Rs2 lakh, following which the girl’s father approached the Pant Nagar police.
“The accused was frequently changing his locations to confuse him [the girl’s father] during negotiations,” said Sachin Patil, deputy commissioner of police ( Zone 7).
The accused, however, dropped the girl outside Chintaman Garden in Mulund (East) where a social worker found her and informed the police. Cops suspect that Khedekar had intented to divulge the girl’s location after securing cash from her father so he dropped her outside the Mulund garden. However, with the help of electronic surveillance, the police intercepted Khedekar on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) at Vikhroli.
Investigation revealed that Khedekar does not know the girl’s family and kidnapped her to make easy money. He is a history-sheeter and has six cases registered against him. Probe also revealed that he allegedly touched the minor inappropriately. Khedekar was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act(POCSO), 2012.
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