Police inspector and Five others held for kidnapping and dacoity of ₹2 Crore

Thane Rural police inspector, Nitin Vijaykar, arrested with 5 others for kidnapping and dacoity of ₹2 crore. Financial crisis led to crime.

Mumbai: A police inspector from Thane Rural police, along with five others, has been arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping and dacoity of ₹2 crore from a businessman based in Ghatkopar. The incident, which occurred on Friday afternoon, prompted the victim to file a complaint with the Vashi police on Saturday, leading to the arrests.

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The arrested police inspector, identified as Nitin Vijaykar, 55, had a long-standing career in law enforcement, joining the force in 1997 and rising through the ranks to become a police inspector in 2014. However, his involvement in the crime has jeopardised his pension and retirement benefits, as he faces serious charges.

According to Vashi police, Vijaykar was facing a financial crisis and needed money and that is when one of the wanted accused approached him and told him that they had information about a businessman who was hoarding cash and that they could gain some money if they could threaten him with cases on him. Vijaykar who had two wives, had two kids from his first marriage and had adopted three kids of his second wife.

The other five accused have been identified as Mohan Shivram Padle, 47, Uday Sahebrao Kawle, 42, Vilas Dattaram Mohite,50, Narayan alias Sagar Bhagwat Sawant, 35, and Mohan Bhanudas Pawar, 35. On Friday afternoon, Rajesh Katra, 54, a resident of Ghatkopar and manager of a cold storage company in Turbhe, set out for work. While en route from his Ghatkopar residence to the company’s Turbhe unit at approximately 2:05 pm, a vehicle abruptly blocked his path on the service road near Vashi bridge. Two individuals emerged from the vehicle, accusing him of speeding and demanding to inspect his car. Identifying themselves as Mumbai police officers, with one later identified as Vijaykar, wearing his uniform, they claimed multiple money laundering complaints against Katra. To settle, they initially demanded ₹15 crore, later reducing it to ₹2 crore. After one of Katra’s friends delivered the money, they allowed him to proceed. The following day, Katra filed a case.

“In the CCTV footage, we identified Padle as a resident of Koparkhairane and nabbed him first. Following his arrest, we arrested the remaining accused, ultimately leading us to Vijaykar,” said Police Inspector Sanjay Nale from Vashi Police Station. Among the arrested individuals, Mohite, a former driver of Katra who was currently unemployed and in need of money, approached Padle, a labour contractor, and informed him about Katra’s possession of cash. Padle then coordinated with other individuals, and one of the wanted accused, known to Sawant, contacted Vijaykar to devise the plan. “We have arrested the accused on charges of dacoity and kidnapping, and we are also investigating if they have committed similar offences in the past,” stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I), Pankaj Dahane.