Garment trader assaults ex-employee for starting new business, luring customers

“Chaurasia had started his own unit – Namo Traders – three months ago, stitching various garments and selling them wholesale in Dharavi. He used to work with Riyansh Ethnic Wear, owned by Shrivastav, a Dharavi resident, as a manager. As he did not get the salary for several months, he left Shrivastava’s company and formed his own unit,” an officer from Sion police station said

Mumbai: Four persons associated with garment trading were arrested on Monday night for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting their former employee, who purportedly started his business and lured customers from the accused’s shop.

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The accused have been identified as Ajit Shrivastav, Ajit Munalal Shrivastav, Mantu Mishra and Kunal Karande. According to the police, the victim, Nitesh Chaurasia, 29, a resident of PMGP Colony, Dharavi, had started luring his former boss’ customers which was the reason behind the rift.

“Chaurasia had started his own unit – Namo Traders – three months ago, stitching various garments and selling them wholesale in Dharavi. He used to work with Riyansh Ethnic Wear, owned by Shrivastav, a Dharavi resident, as a manager. As he did not get the salary for several months, he left Shrivastava’s company and formed his own unit,” an officer from Sion police station said.

Later, he started luring the customers of Shrivastav, which angered the latter, who then hatched a plan, the officer said, adding, “Shrivastav came to know that Chaurasia was sitting with his friends at New Neelam Restaurant and Bar near Sion railway station on Saturday night. He then pulled Chaurasia out of the bar with the help of Ajit and took him to their garment unit in Dharavi, where Mishra and Karande were present.”

Taking advantage of Shrivastav and Karande being busy in a conversation, Chaurasia managed to flee from the unit, the officer said. “However, the accused chased and caught him near Sahil Hotel on the 90-feet road in Dharavi and assaulted him due to which he started bleeding from his mouth. They got afraid and initially took him to Sai Hospital where doctors were not present, hence, they went to Raheja Hospital where the doctors’ charges were too high. Lastly, the accused took the victim to Sion Hospital. The four accused then took his gold chain and ₹50,000 in cash and fled,” the police officer added.

Chaurasia later approached the police and registered a case against the four. “They have been booked under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 34 (common intention), 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) and 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property) of the Indian Penal Code,” Manisha Shirkhe, senior police inspector of Sion police station, said.