PANAJI
Fatorda resident Altaf Shah Sayed, suspected for having links with the banned organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI) is among 11 persons arrested on charges of kidnapping two Hyderabad men in Goa for ransom.
The accused demanded Rs 3.5 to 4 crore from the victims' employer who soon lodged a complaint with the police in his home town. The victims had arrived in Goa to strike a deal for shipment of iron ore, which are being sold via e-auction.
"The Gandhinagar Police Station in Hyderabad contacted Agassaim police after the complainant approached them for help. We soon formed our teams and began locating the accused and the kidnapped victims based on inputs shared by our counterparts," Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch), Nidhin Valsan said while addressing a late-hour press conference in the CB office at Ribandar on Saturday.
The victims were held hostage in Bambolim, the SP said.
The victims were rescued and the accused Sayed, Sunil Naik from Sanguem, Nikhil Patel of Ponda, Shafiullah of Margao, Jafer Sadik Sheikh Hasan from Sanvordem, Sagar from Mapusa, Nishant of Porvorim, Aslam Sayed Ahmar Mujaver of Margao, Sadik Sheik of Navelim, Tukaram Donge of Hyderabad and Jose Aldrin from Quepem were apprehended. Valsan, who added that the teams under Additional SP Raju Raut Desai, have completed the legal formalities to hand over the accused to Hyderabad police who are in Goa for the probe.
The IPS officer claimed that they cracked the code within 4-5 hours of receiving information about the offence.
The prime accused, Altaf was arrested in October 2022 from Fatorda for unlawful activities during a pan-India raid against PFI activities. He is suspected of funding the organisation even as the probe is underway.
