Victim, who is the manager of Central Plaza Cinema in Girgaum, had repeatedly warned the duo against selling tickets in black outside, but they ignored him
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In a bid to take revenge on the owner of Central Plaza Cinema in Girgaum, tout Ismail Sau, 54, and his accomplice Prem Singh, 35, attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon while he was returning home on February 24. Four months ago, victim Lewis Fernandes, 45, had allegedly warned them against selling tickets in black outside Roxy Cinema, where he was the manager.
He also stopped them from doing the same at the Girgaum-based theatre after he got transferred there. Based on information provided by the victim, the V P Road police arrested the duo from Byculla on Sunday. After being produced in court, they were sent to police remand till March 6.
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Speaking on condition of anonymity, a police officer said, "Four months back, Fernandes had warned Sau against selling black tickets outside Roxy Cinema. Then he started doing the same outside Central Plaza Cinema, where Fernandes got transferred. This time when the victim warned him again, he hatched a plan to eliminate him." The officer further said that Sau had hired Singh for the job and paid him Rs 5,000.
"On February 24 when Fernandes was returning home, he was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon from behind. This is why he couldn't see the assailants," he added. Immediately after the incident he was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he received 28 stitches for his wounds.
The cops arrested the duo based on information they got from the victim, as the crime spot was not under CCTV surveillance. "While recording Fernandes's statement we got to know that he had warned many touts against selling black tickets outside the theatre. Based on this, we quizzed a number of touts, including Sau, who confessed to his involvement in the crime," said an officer privy to the investigation.
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