MAPUSA: A businessman from Peddem Mapusa namely Tarak Manguesh Arolkar lodged a complaint that 7 to 8 unknown persons abducted him while he was on the way to Goa from Mahabaleshwar.
The incident took place on September 16 at 8 pm when Arolkar, along with his driver Amar Dhargalkar, was returning back to Goa in an Innova car bearing num GA 03 C 7525 when a white Swift car followed them and stopped by moving in front of complainant’s car.
Later around 7 to 8 occupants came out of the Swift car and attempted to pull the complainant and the driver out the Innova. However, when they failed to get them out the utility vehicle, four persons entered the Innova and forcibly took the businessman and his driver to an unknown place by covering their faces.
When passers-by questioned them, they claimed to be police officials. The accuse persons then snatched from the complainant four gold rings all worth Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3,20,000 cash from him. They also took away one Lenovo laptop and a licensed pistol which was carried by the complainant.
Later they took the complainant and the driver to one house and kept them in two separate rooms. The accused persons also tortured the complainant and assaulted him with sticks, kicks, fist blows and whatever material they could get.
They also threatened the complainant to arrange money from this family and staff otherwise they would kill him or fix him in a narcotic case. They further forced the complainant to call up his office and family and told to fetch money. Accordingly the complainant called up his family and staff and directed them to get maximum amount of cash they could get and come to Pune.
Next day on September 17 one of the complainant’s staff went to Pune and handed the kidnappers Rs 3,00,000 and a cheque book of ICICI bank. Complainant had also called up his brother Vilas Arolkar who managed to give them Rs 10,000 which was picked up at Satara. The complainant was also made to sign 20 blank cheques and also force to direct the staff to deposit maximum amount of money in the bank account.
Early morning on September 18 when the complainant was awake, he saw the accused persons sleeping. Taking advantage of situation, Arolkar escaped from the room through a window and managed to reach the main road. He took a lift and came to Goa.
The complainant said that the accused persons where between 25 to 35 years and strongly built. They were communicating in Kannada language and were speaking in Hindi with Arolkar. Of the eight people who stopped their vehicle four were carrying firearms. The driver Amar Dabholkar is still in the custody of the kidnappers.
