Builder held back at Nipani police station for further probe,
whereabouts of builder’s driver still unknown
the goan I network
MAPUSA
The kidnapping of the Peddem-based builder has brought focus back on the infamous "rice puller" scam.
Yusuf, the person who had called up builder, Tarak Arolkar, before he was kidnapped by unknown persons, on Wednesday lodged a complaint at the Gandhi Chowk Police Station, Bijapur, stating that he was kidnapped by some unidentified persons.
In the past, Bijapur Police had arrested Yusuf in the "rice puller" scam, police officials at the Bijapur Police Station revealed.
The Karnataka Police has held back the builder, Tarak Arolkar to investigate whether he is involved in the scam.
"We have not arrested nor detained Arolkar, but we want him for further investigations," said PSI Patil of Nipani rural police.
The rice pulling scam has been duping
gullible citizens and superstitious businessmen for quite some time now.
In the scam, the conmen sell a metal device claimed to have magical properties, including drawing rice grains.
Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that Nipani rural police has managed to rescue the builder's driver, Amar Dhargalkar, a resident of Siolim, who was also allegedly kidnapped by the same group.
Nipani rural police grilled the builder, Tarak Arolkar, for more than an hour and half and lodged a fresh FIR at the Nipani police station based on a fresh complaint of the builder.
On Tuesday, a Mapusa Police team led by PSI, Dipesh Shetkar had taken the builder to the Nipani Police Station. The builder's two friends, Anil and Dinesh, had also accompanied them.
According to sources in Mapusa Police, the Nipani police had formed a team to rescue the builder's driver and the builder's two friends had also accompanied the Nipani police team in the rescue operation.
But so far no information is forthcoming from the Karnataka Police on the whereabouts of the builder's driver.
It may be recalled that Mapusa Police on Tuesday booked a case of kidnapping and dacoity against unknown persons for holding the Peddem-based builder, Tarak Arolkar at ransom.
The builder in a complaint had said some seven to eight persons waylaid him and his driver on September 16 night at Nipani when they were returning from Mahableshwar where he had gone to meet his son.
He also said he was tortured by his captives, who relieved him of his possessions and even demanded more cash at gunpoint.
He finally managed to escape from their clutches early September 18, the builder claimed.
Mapusa Police had registered a complaint against unknown persons and transferred the case to Bijapur Police for further investigation since the incident happened at Nipani in Karnataka.
