Dadar resident riding home from work undergoes hours of torture after being kidnapped by ex-lover, goons over financial dispute; cops arrest eight
The victim leaves his workplace on a motorcycle with a colleague on July 23. As they ride along the Sion-Panvel Highway near Y Junction in Chembur, two bikes pull up — one cuts them off, another blocks them. A group surrounds the victim, drags him off the bike, and begins assaulting him. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
48-year-old Dadar East resident, who works as a boiler operator at a government enterprise, was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted by his ex-lover, her son, and a group of accomplices on the night of July 23. The victim, who was returning home on his two-wheeler, was kidnapped on the Sion-Panvel highway and taken to Chembur, Mankhurd, Sanpada, and Kharghar while being continuously assaulted. He was eventually dumped, barefoot and injured, near a mall in Kharghar.
According to police, who registered an FIR on Friday morning, the attack was orchestrated by Shilpa Ohol, 51, and her son, Parth, 21, over property and financial disputes. The victim had previously loaned her Rs 15 lakh and refused to name her in his PF and property documents. The other accused have been identified as Santosh Naik, 43; Krishna Pati, 19; Mrutyunjay Devkar, 23; Ishank Devkar, 20; Sacil Ichake, 20; Vaishali Naik, 76; and Sachita Naik, 38 — all residents of Kharghar,
Navi Mumbai.
The incident
The victim was intercepted near Y Junction in Chembur on the Sion-Panvel highway around 9.50 pm while travelling home on a two-wheeler with a colleague. Two motorcycles approached him from behind, one overtook and cut in front of him, while the other blocked them from the rear. The riders, including Parth, forced the victim to stop. Parth then allegedly snatched the keys and kicked the bike to the ground.
The victim is pushed into a rickshaw with Shilpa and others. He’s beaten, his mouth tied, and his phone snatched. The vehicle moves through Mankhurd, Sanpada and other areas, while four bikes escort the rickshaw. He screams for help, but is silenced
Within moments, seven to eight others, including Shilpa, Santosh, and others, surrounded the victim and began assaulting him. He was then dragged into a rickshaw, his phone taken away, and over the next few hours, until the vehicle reached Kharghar at 1.30 am, he was beaten.
Foiled escape attempt
The victim managed to briefly escape when the rickshaw briefly stopped near a bus stop in Kharghar. He flagged down a private car and used the driver’s phone to call his father, asking him to contact a family acquaintance for help. The acquaintance, in turn, called back on the same number and instructed the car driver to take the victim to Chunabhatti police station. However, before they could reach the spot, the gang caught up with the vehicle, intercepted it and dragged the victim out. He was beaten again, bundled into another vehicle, and eventually dumped barefoot and injured near a mall in Kharghar around 1.30 am.
In the early hours, the victim is seen being dumped near a mall in Kharghar. He’s bruised, shirtless, and barefoot, standing dazed on the pavement. A known associate of the accused returns some of his belongings moments before he escapes
As per the police, after being left on the footpath near the mall, the victim was approached by an acquaintance of the accused, identified as Vikas Raut, who arrived at the scene with his son. Vikas allegedly gave the victim a fresh T-shirt and footwear, replacing his torn clothes. He also instructed Parth to return the victim’s belongings. Soon after, Parth returned with a bag containing the victim’s mobile phone. With this, the victim was finally released. He then made his way to Kharghar police station, where officers helped him contact his relatives. On July 24, he underwent medical treatment at KEM Hospital and later approached the Chunabhatti police station to formally lodge a complaint.
The motive
According to the police, the victim divorced his wife in 2021 to pursue a relationship with Shilpa, who had also promised to legally separate from her husband but never followed through. In his statement, the victim said that over time, tensions grew as he refused to add her as a nominee in his PF account while also declining to transfer his family property in her name. The victim also alleged that Shilpa had taken Rs 15 lakh from him under the pretext of buying a house. The relationship eventually soured, particularly after his family opposed it.
Victim Speak
“They assaulted me continuously — punched me on my neck, stomach, head, and chest. I am in a lot of pain and feel completely helpless,” the victim told this reporter, his voice weak and strained. “I underwent an MRI examination to check for internal injuries. I can’t speak properly because I was punched several times on my face and neck.”
He could not continue further and requested his wife to speak on his behalf. She said, “I don’t know what’s happening. I’m completely taken aback. We just got married in June, so everything is new to me. I’m still trying to understand what my husband has gone through.” Asked about the accused, she added, “Right now, my only focus is on ensuring my husband is physically and mentally stable. We will fight the legal battle when the time comes, but for now, his recovery is all that matters.”
She also said that when she asked her husband whether he recognised any of the assailants apart from Shilpa and Parth, he said no. The victim has a 21-year-old daughter, 74-year-old mother and 81-year-old father whom he lives with along with his wife.
Police action
The Chunabhatti police on Thursday night arrested Shilpa and Parth. On Friday, the remaining accused were also taken into custody, except for Vaishali, who was not arrested considering her senior citizen status. Police said she has been served a notice and directed to cooperate with the investigation.
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