June 27: Three out of four persons who robbed a Nagpada businessman of Rs 6 lakh and snatched his scooter were recently nabbed by the Mumbai police. While one of the accused, Yusuf Ansari, was nabbed on May 24 in Bihar, two others were arrested near Iqbal Jabbri Cafe in Dongri on June 2.

After committing the theft, Ansari, a car washer from Dongri, had fled to his native place Baughat Radi in Bihar. He told his relatives there that he now owned a taxi in Mumbai and was a rich man. But even before they could digest his claims, a Mumbai police squad dispatched to Bihar succeeded in nabbing him.

Investigation officer, inspector Shamsherkhan Pathan of Nagpada police told Express Newsline that Yusuf did not disclose details about the theft even after prolonged interrogation, but two other accused, Sajid alias Bhola and Sayed Ezaz Kadri alias Taklya disclosed the entire plot they had hatched.

``I thought I would get away with the stolen Rs 50,000 and buy a taxi later, but these fellows upset my plans,'' he told the investigation officer. According to the police, Bhola and Taklya told Yusuf they revealed everything because they did not want to face blows from the police.

When Wagharam Sutar withdrew six lakh rupees from the Union Bank's Nagpada branch on April 29 and reached Maratha Mandir junction on his scooter, four assailants struck him on his head with an iron bar and escaped with his vehicle and cash.

The Nagpada police said there were no clues except the fact that four men were involved. Clues gathered from informants revealed that a known criminal, Salim-55, had been seen in the area a few days prior to the incident. On May 8, Salim-55 was traced to a hideout at Dongri's Chawal Galli. After a lot of questioning, he confessed he was aware of the plot, but he had not taken part in the crime. However, he later disclosed that Yusuf Ansari and Iqbal from Dongri were involved in the case. The police gathered information that Yusuf had fled to Ajmer in Rajasthan, from where he went to his native village in Bihar. A squad was immediately dispatched to nab him.

He disclosed the names of Taklya and Bhola for their involvement in the crime. The two were nabbed near Iqbal Jabbri Cafe in Dongri on June 2. It has now been revealed that Iqbal had promised Yusuf he would buy him a taxi if he took part in the plot.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.