Kidnap plot in Pune: Mumbai cops. Plot? What plot, ask Pune cops

The Mumbai police had seized anaesthetics from some of the arrested; a probe led to the unearthing of the plot. 8220;This looks like one of the modes they were planning to fund their terror operations,8221; said Rakesh Maria, joint commissioner of police crime branch. 8220;For 15 days early this year, they conducted a rece of the area where the two persons lived. The idea of holding people to ransom looks to have come from Riyaz Bhatkal as he has a background in crime,8221; Maria added.

8220;The bulk of drugs and anaesthetics found is huge. One needs a prescription for the drug and we are probing the source of the drugs. While the media wing from Pune was learning hacking, this group was told to pick the two persons and hole them up at Ashoka Mews that the group had rented. The idea was to drug the hostages,8221; Maria said.

He cited a 8220;heavy police bandobast8221; as the reason for the failure of the plot. The Pune police, however, denied any police protection being provided to any builder or jeweller. 8220;We have got no such report from the Mumbai police,8221; said Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh. 8220;The joint commissioner of Mumbai crime branch has all the details.8221;

Deputy Commissioner special branch Ravindra Sengaonkar, who is in charge of the bandobast section, too said, 8220;I have got no inputs from Mumbai police.8221; He too denied protection being provided to any builder of jeweler.

Intelligence agencies cited evidence that ransom was being looked at as a means to fund terror activities. When Kolkata shoemaker Parthapratim Roy Burman was kidnapped, part of the ransom was believed to have reached terror outfits via Aftab Ansari.

The Pune police crime branch, meanwhile, picked up a suspect from Raviwar Peth on Saturday and freed him after questioning. 8220;It is not that we have started working now. Our operations have been going on for the last few months,8221; said Additional Commissioner crime Rajender Singh.