The Mumbai Crime Branch has made significant progress in the investigation into the kidnapping of notorious drug mafia Sajid Electricwala, revealing chilling new details about the conspiracy. As per the latest findings, the abduction was meticulously planned by Sarwar Maqsood Khan, who is now believed to be the mastermind behind the operation. To avoid detection by law enforcement agencies, Sarwar allegedly used the end-to-end encrypted messaging application ‘Zangi’ for all communication and coordination with his network of accomplices.
Sources from the Crime Branch have revealed that Sarwar had strictly instructed his associates to make calls and exchange messages only through this encrypted platform, aiming to stay under the radar of the police and cyber units. During the course of the investigation, several mobile phones, call logs, and chat histories have been seized and are currently under forensic analysis. An internet dongle used by the accused to mask their location and identity has also been confiscated.
Following Sajid’s abduction, Sarwar and his aides reportedly extorted ₹51 lakh in ransom from Sajid’s family. The money was allegedly collected through the Angadia courier network, a traditional cash transfer system often used for discreet transactions. However, the police have so far managed to recover only ₹95,000, and the remaining amount is still untraced.
Investigators also suspect that two firearms were used during the execution of the kidnapping, both of which remain unrecovered. Adding another layer to the case, the Crime Branch is probing Sarwar’s suspected family links to underworld don Chhota Shakeel’s brother, Anwar Babu Shaikh. If confirmed, this connection could potentially widen the scope of the case and link it to larger underworld operations.
According to police sources, Sarwar had allegedly threatened to kill Sajid over a financial dispute prior to the abduction. Despite being in custody, Sarwar and several of the other accused are reportedly not cooperating with the investigation, further complicating the efforts of the police.
In the latest round of arrests, three more individuals have been taken into custody for their key roles in the kidnapping. They have been identified as Jitendra Mangalsingh Thakur alias Akbar Batla, Vijay Krishna Kale alias Saddam (34), and Hussain Abdul Farid Khan. All three were produced before the Esplanade Court, which remanded them to police custody till July 29.
With these arrests, the total number of accused held in the case has reached ten. However, five suspects continue to remain absconding. Those already arrested and sent to judicial custody include Yunus Umar Tailwal Pil (40), Mohammed Tausif Mohammed Hanif Jhendi (37), Satish Bharat Kadu (32), Santosh Sitaram Waghmare (41), Sarwar Maqsood Khan (43), Mehtab Ali Mausam Ali Khan (40), and Rahul Raghunath Sawant (37).
The investigation is still ongoing, with police actively searching for the missing accused and the unaccounted ransom money. The case has not only exposed a deeply rooted criminal network but also revealed the growing use of encrypted digital platforms by criminals to evade law enforcement.