Bharuch NRI abduction: SI, VHP activist under scanner

The case of kidnapping and subsequent release of a Bharuch NRI and his brother took a new turn on Saturday with police putting the role of a Vadodara police sub-inspector (SI) and a VHP worker under the scanner. The homes of PSI T.J. Vaghela, who is with the Fatehgunj police, and Jatin Vyas of city-based Gau Raksha Samiti, a VHP-affiliated body, were raided yesterday. The PSI has also reportedly confessed his involvement to Bharuch Superintendent of Police (SP).

The names of Vaghela and Vyas came to light when Musa Gabhanwala, one of the abducted brothers, was showing police the route taken by the abductors. When Musa was brought to Fatehgunj police station, some constables identified him and said they had seen Musa with PSI Vaghela after the kidnapping. Musa also took the police team to a house in Jalaram Society Park in Karelibaug, which belonged to Vyas. Both Vaghela and Vyas are absconding, but Vaghela had confessed his involvement and asked for protection in a telephonic conversation yesterday with Bharuch SP Amarsinh Vasava.

Sources in Bharuch police said: ‘‘Vyas knew some people in Haldarwa village, whose sarpanch Mehboob is also a suspect. Musa and his brother Adam had relatives in the village and that’s how Vyas may have learnt about the duo,’’ Inspector J.D. Jhala, who is with the Detection of Crime Branch in Bharuch, said.

District VHP president Ajay Joshi confirmed that Vyas was the president of the Samiti: ‘‘Vyas had been working in the area for cow protection and some people might have conspired to implicate him falsely. We are looking into the issue.”