Govandi corporator’s kin thrash bizman for refusing `5K extortion

Ayesha Shaikh’s relatives held; 2 others on run

Two relatives of Ayesha Rafiq Shaikh, 26, a Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) corporator, were arrested on Wednesday night by Shivaji Nagar Police at Govandi for allegedly physically assaulting a 23-year-old garment businessman and his friend with a bamboo stick. The trader had refused to pay `5,000 as extortion to the accused. Two other members of the Shaikh’s family are absconding. Ayesha is a corporator of ward number 137 at Shivaji Nagar.

Laik Ahmed Salimuddin Shaikh, 41, Shaikh’s paternal uncle and Jalal Ateeq Shaikh, 24, her brother, have been arrested by Shivaji Nagar Police. The accused had demanded `5,000 from the victim, Abdul Karim Khan alias Monu, 23. However, Abdul refused to pay the money. Laik and Jalal, along with two accomplices, Ashraf Shaikh, 36, the corporator’s nephew and Shafique Shaikh, 45, another paternal uncle of the corporator, physically assaulted Abdul and his friend Hanif Ansari, 25, at Laik’s residence on Road Number 9, Sanjay Nagar, at Shivaji Nagar.

Laik had asked Abdul and his friend Hanif to visit his residence at 11.30am on Wednesday for a discussion. When the duo reached Laik’s home, a fight ensued between the accused and the victims. Laik, Jalal, Ashraf and Shafique punched in Abdul’s face, and kicked him in his stomach and hit him with a bamboo stick. When his friend Hanif intervened, the accused assaulted him too.

Hanif and Abdul were rushed to Shatabdi Hospital at Govandi. They called the police control room to inform them.

Deepak Pagare, Senior Inspector, Shivaji Nagar Police, said, “Ashraf Shaikh and Shafique Shaikh are presently absconding. A team has been dispatched to trace them. Laik Shaikh and Jalal Shaikh were arrested on Wednesday night from their Sanjay Nagar home. The accused and the victim had a fight on Tuesday night also, since Abdul refused to pay extortion money.”

They have been booked and arrested for putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt to commit extortion (Section 387), voluntarily causing hurt (Section 323), voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means (Section 324), mischief causing damage (Section 427), intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace (Section 504), criminal intimidation (Section 506) and common intention (Section 34) of the IPC.

The accused had demanded `5,000 from the victim, Abdul Karim Khan alias Monu, 23. When he refused. Laik and Jalal, along with two aides, Ashraf Shaikh, 36, the corporator’s nephew and Shafique Shaikh, 45, another paternal uncle of the corporator, physically assaulted Abdul.