After dumping the body at Talasari on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, the debtor accompanied the victim’s wife to the police station to lodge a missing complaint.
Prakash Sawant invited Nilesh Jethalal Upadhyay, 45, to a party at Nalasopara and allegedly kidnapped him with the help of three accomplices. Upadhyay left his Carter Road residence around 9 pm Monday. When he did not return till the next day, his wife Varsha approached police.
She told police Upadhyay had received a call from Sawant, inviting him to Nalasopara for a party. The two had left in a car with others.
“Varsha said the next day, Upadhyay’s mother Madhuben received an SMS saying he was going to Madhya Pradesh for a few days,” said senior inspector Bharat Worlikar.
Sawant, a car dealer, told police Upadhyay left the party at 2 am on Tuesday saying he had some work outside the city. Police later detained Sawant. Meanwhile, Talasari police found a body, the head smashed with a stone.
On Wednesday, Sawant reportedly confessed. Police have arrested Sawant, Hussain Chand Sayyed (24) and Mubarak Shaikh (30) and are looking for the third accomplice.