E-Paper
Hotelier, businessman among 4 booked for kidnapping, extortion of hypnotist in Pune
On Friday, Walke called Katay to his restaurant at 1.30 pm. Once he got there, Walke allegedly hurled expletives and then hit him with a wooden rod before forcing him inside a car
The Pune police on Sunday booked four persons for kidnapping and extortion of a man. The complaint has been lodged by the victim, Mahesh Popat Katay, 37, a self-proclaimed hypnotist.
The accused have been identified as Nanasaheb Shankarrao Gaikwad, an Aundh-based businessman; Sachin Govind Walke, owner of Tatyacha Dhaba, Ankush Rajabhau and Vikas Balkawade.
According to the police, the complainant owed money to one of the accused. Walke is the maternal cousin of the complainant.
On Friday, Walke called Katay to his restaurant at 1.30 pm. Once he got there, Walke allegedly hurled expletives and then hit him with a wooden rod before forcing him inside a car. Walke allegedly took him to a farmhouse owned by Gaikwad in Sus. At the farmhouse, Gaikwad held a gun to Katay’s head and asked him to hand over all his property to him, according to the complaint.
In 2017, Katay had borrowed Rs 30,00,000 from Gaikwad. Katay claims to have returned Rs 10,00,000 in 2017, followed by Rs 6,80,000 in the following months. However, in June 2019, his business shut down after which he could not continue the monthly installments of Rs 80,000. The complainant claims that his pleas for more time were met with death threats. Katay also said that in the way of repayment of the remaining amount, a piece of land he owned in Aatone village, Raigad district was transferred in the name of Gaikwad’s wife Nanda Gaikwad, said police.
A case under Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 367 (kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery, etc.), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code has been registered at Chatuhshrungi police station.