New twist to looting case : Drama staged by hawala agents, say cops

New twist to looting case : Drama staged by hawala agents, say cops

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 26, 2021:      The case of looting a man of Rs 16.20 lakhs after intercepting his scooter at Old Kent Road in the city on February 22, has taken a new twist with police investigation revealing that the victim himself is the accused in the case.

Informing this to reporters here on March 26, Friday, City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said  the dacoity  was a pre-planned act and added that this  incident has also resulted in the busting of a hawala racket dealing with crores of rupees.

The Commissioner said five  persons namely Muhammad Rifath Ali Rashith, Ashfaq   alias Juttu, Jaffer Sadiq  Muhammad Ismail and KH Mayyaddi have been arrested and a cash of Rs 95,000, a bike and car have been seized from them.

It may be recalled here that a person named Abdul Salam of Sooralpady had lodged a complaint on March 4 alleging that  three men had intercepted him on February 22 and robbed the cash which he was taking to purchase clothes and jewellery for the wedding of his   niece.  Inspection of CCTV footages revealed the involvement of four to five men, the Commissioner said.

Further investigations revealed that  Abdul Salam had  taken money from a  person for Hawala transaction and he and five to six others were working as Hawala agents and that they  used to earn around Rs 15,000 a month by way of   salary and commission from  the  kingpins.

Ismail is said to be the mastermind behind the robbery drama to lay hands on the hawala money, the Commissioner said. The complainant Abdul Salam is absconding along with his family, the Commissioner said and added that police are on the lookout for a few others wanted in the case.