Mistaken for kidnappers, Gujarat cops get booked by Kashimira counterparts

A crack team of two personnel attached to the cyber cell of the Vadodara police in Gujarat drove into Mumbai on Tuesday. However, their mission to round up a suspect for his alleged involvement in a financial fraud turned into a comedy of errors. Following specific information, the two cops in mufti rounded up the suspect identified as Rakesh Jadhav from outside his building in Vijay Park and took him away.

Rajesh’s brother, Jitesh who claims to be a witness of the incident, stated that their family was not informed. Minutes later, Jitesh received a call from his brother who directed him to bring his wife’s ornament and their car near the junction of Hotel Fountain on the MumbaiAhmedabad highway. Jitesh claimed to have complied and handed over the ornaments and car worth Rs 5 lakh to the duo, who according to him bundled Rakesh into the car and drove off towards the direction of Gujarat. Jitesh alerted officials at the Kashimira Police Station, following which an offence under section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) was registered against the unidentified duo.

A few hours later, the family received another call, this time from the Gujarat police to inform that Rakesh had been picked up for questioning in a cheating case. “Based on the sequence of events narrated by the complainant, we registered a case of kidnap. Later it became clear that the duo were actual policemen who were on duty,” said senior police inspector Sanjay Hazare.

“Yes, we have picked up Rakesh Jadhav who is one of the kingpins in an online financial fraud amounting more than Rs 1 crore. His mandated corona tests were in process, following which he will be formally arrested for interrogation,” confirmed a police officer from the Vadodara cyber cell. Further investigations were underway.