Mumbai Crime Branch rescues builder soon after kidnap

Notorious gangster Iliyas Abdul Aziz Khan

In a dramatic turn of events, South Mumbai developer Hifzur Rahman Ansari, allegedly abducted by notorious gangster Iliyas Abdul Aziz Khan, also known as Iliyas Bachkana, for an exorbitant extortion sum, was clandestinely rescued from the eastern suburbs in a highly covert operation on Friday evening by the Anti Extortion Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch. Ansari was kidnapped by Bachkana demanding a ransom of RS 10 crore.

The entire police force was working on it as they were aware of the notorious record of Bachkana as he would not think twice to eliminate Ansari which might lead to creating a fear amongst the people in the city. "When we reached the location he was surprised and was very violent but our team managed to arrest and rescued the victim who was thrashed badly by Bachkana and was kept inside a slum area and one person was keeping a watch on him," said DCP Raj Tilak Roushan.

According to the crime branch, on Friday, evening, three teams from the city crime branch executed the rescue mission, liberating Rahman Ansari and apprehending gangster Iliyas Bachkana along with his one accomplice from the Govandi slums. Simultaneously, Byculla police arrested three individuals linked to Bachkana.

Notably, Rahman Ansari and Bachkana are co-accused in an alleged murder conspiracy. The duo purportedly masterminded and executed a fatal attack on Ansari's partner, Raju Lilodia, alias Sikander, in 2022 over a financial dispute. Following this incident, the Byculla police invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), although the section was later dropped, and they were chargesheeted under IPC sections of attempted murder and 120 B.

Adding to Ansari's legal entanglements, he faces six criminal offenses, primarily cheating cases registered in the city. In the recent case, Bachkana and his associates, under the guise of a discussion, enticed Ansari into a car and abducted him in a Maruti Ciaz from South Mumbai. Subsequently, Bachkana contacted Ansari's son, demanding a hefty Rs 10 crore, threatening dire consequences if the demand wasn't met. Ansari's son promptly filed an FIR, encompassing charges of kidnapping, ransom, and extortion.

The crime branch officials delved into the case, tracing the car's last sighting to Mulund toll naka. However, upon checking the registration number, they discovered that Bachkana had employed a false registration, misleading investigators. The Byculla police negotiated with Bachkana through Ansari's son, while the crime team, aided by technology, pinpointed the accused's location to the Govandi slums in Mankhurd.

Executing a strategic maneuver, three teams cornered the slum pocket, successfully rescuing Ansari and apprehending Bachkana and his associates.

"The victim was confined in a metal shed room within a slum area in Govandi. Our team forcefully entered the room, breaking the metal shed to rescue the victim. Additionally, we apprehended Bachkana's associate, who was monitoring Ansari. Bachkana himself was arrested within a one-kilometer radius. During the arrest, he turned violent and attempted to escape, but our team swiftly gained control and successfully detained him," stated an officer.

The duo was transported to the Mankhurd police station, where arrests were documented, followed by their transfer to the Byculla police station late on Friday evening. In preliminary inquiries, Bachkana claimed he wasn't seeking extortion but rather asserting that Ansari owed him money.