Man held for murder of cousin

After being tipped-off about the body,the Navsari police tried to identify it,but in vain. After a postmortem,the police and a Navsari-based NGO performed the funeral. But they started investigating the case,which alerted the Surat police.

The police said Hasmukh Beladia (27),had been working on the kidnapping plot since the last three months.

Hasmukh,they said,called his cousin in his Honda City car while the latter was leaving on his two-wheeler. He strangulated Divyesh in the car and later disposed off the body.

The police said Hasmukh had used Divyesh’s mobile phone to make ransom calls. He had sought Rs 10 lakh cash and Rs 50 lakh worth of diamonds.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) S G Trivedi said,“We suspected the involvement of a relative and it proved right.”

The Surat Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) said Hasmukh had his own embroidery business,but was not financially sound. Divyesh’s father,Arvind Beladia,had helped the family who lived in the same neighbourhood.

Divyesh’s family was earlier hesitant to report the matter to the police fearing for his life.

In an uncanny resemblance to the Surat case,the police suspect the role of one Priyank Patel (21) for the kidnapping of his maternal cousin Gaurav Patel (14) in Ahmedabad.

The police arrested Priyank and his accomplice,Alok Rajput,while they were collecting the ransom near Pakwan Hotel Crossroads on S G Highway,on Tuesday. But victim’s whereabouts still remain unknown. All that Priyank has told the police after his arrest is that he had called Gaurav for a movie on that day. Gaurav,a resident of Sola Road went missing on May 14. The police fear he might have been killed,but his parents refuse to accept the boy’s death.

The body of a boy of around his age was found under the Sola Bridge,the very next day after he went missing. His parents started receiving threat and ransom calls. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of Rs 6 lakh.

Investigation Officer,Sola Inspector N R Chauhan said: “The parents,who were called for the identification,said it was not their son’s. The body was taken to the Civil Hospital and the last rites were performed after a few days.”

Incidentally,Gaurav’s father Narendra Patel had filed a complaint with the police on Monday,19 days later. But the police were posted about the developments right from the beginning .

“The two have given contradictory statements. Further interrogation can reveal if the kidnapping was done by the duo or if more persons are involved in the case,” Chauhan added.

The police are also awaiting the DNA reports of the body found under the bridge.