29-yr-old held for abducting, assaulting cab driver who died after chase

A 29-year-old man was arrested for abducting and assaulting a cab driver in Delhi, who died after crashing into a pole; three suspects are still at large.

A 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly abducting and assaulting a cab driver who died after being chased and forced to crash into an electric pole in south-west Delhi’s Najafgarh area last week, police said on Tuesday. At least three other suspects remain absconding, officers said.

29-yr-old held for abducting, assaulting cab driver who died after chase

The man, identified only as Praveen, a resident of Haryana’s Jhajjar, was arrested from Delhi on Sunday by the Dwarka district police.

“Our investigation established that Praveen was among the four men who abducted cab driver Mohammad Ujaib from his Maruti Suzuki S-Presso after the vehicle crashed into an electric pole in New Roshanpura in the early hours of Friday. He has been booked for kidnapping and culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh said.

Singh said investigators are still trying to establish the exact motive behind the abduction and assault, as the remaining three suspects are yet to be arrested. The probe is primarily focusing on a financial dispute between Ujaib and a private money lender, who is among the absconding suspects, investigators said.

According to police, Ujaib was driving his Maruti Suzuki S-Presso taxi when he was allegedly chased by four men in a white Hyundai Aura in the early hours of Friday. His vehicle crashed into an electric pole in New Roshanpura, near Najafgarh.

Despite sustaining injuries in the crash, Ujaib was allegedly dragged out of the car, forced into the Hyundai Aura and assaulted before being abandoned. He later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said CCTV footage from the area and other evidence helped identify the suspects. Raids are underway to arrest the remaining accused.