Manpada Police Station in Dombivli has arrested three offenders for the kidnapping of Vijay, husband of Sangita Gaikwad, a former councilor, and demanding a ransom of 20 lakh rupees. Among the accused is Vinayak Kisan Karade, a lift operator who posed as an astrologer to gain the victim's trust. The trio lured the victim under the pretense of astrological consultation and held him captive while threatening him with a country-made firearm.
The incident came to light when the victim's wife filed a complaint at Manpada Police Station. According to the police, the accused had rented a room behind Kaka Dhaba in Sakhubai Patil Nagar, Kalyan East, where they held the victim captive. The suspects threatened the victim with a country-made pistol (katta) and demanded the ransom.
Based on the complaint, Manpada Police Station registered a case under sections 309, 126, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Under the guidance of senior officials, special teams were formed to investigate the case.
The accused were identified as:
- Girish Ramesh Khaire (50), a resident of Kalyan East, originally from Nashik district
- Vinaykumar Krishna Yadav alias Raghav (22), a plumber, a resident of Kalyan, originally from Uttar Pradesh
- Vinayak Kisan Karade (35), a lift operator, a resident of Kalya, originally from Akola district
The police revealed that the trio had meticulously planned the extortion. Girish Khaire, the main accused, kidnapped the victim and confined him in a rented room. Vinayak Karade posed as an astrologer to gain the victim's trust, while Vinaykumar Yadav procured the country-made pistol from Bihar for 15,000 rupees.
The gang had plotted the kidnapping to extort Rs. 20 lakh. On September 24, 2024, the accused executed their plan, tying the victim to a chair and threatening him with the firearm. They robbed him of 27,000 rupees in cash and three expensive phones before fleeing.
The police arrested the suspects from the Kolsewadi, Tisgaon Naka, and Chakki Naka areas. They recovered three phones worth 2,50,000 rupees, a country-made pistol, and a live cartridge from the accused.
The successful operation was carried out under the guidance of senior police officials, including Additional Police Commissioner Sanjay Jadhav, DCP Zone 3 Atul Zende, and Divisional ACP Suhas Hemade. The arresting team was led by Senior PI Vijay Kadbane, PI Ram Chopade and included various officers and constables from the Manpada Police Station.