Bhadre masterminded Raut’s kidnapping, may face MCOCA

Nagpur: In an interesting turn in Ajay Raut kidnapping case, crime branch officials have confirmed that criminal Raju Bhadre’s was the mastermind. Bhadre had helped Raut pay a ransom of Rs1 crore to the abductors.
DCP Ranjan Kumar Sharma told media persons that the investigation has revealed that Bhadre had given the kidnapping contract to Diwakar Kottulwar.“Bhadre, who is already undergoing a lifer at the Central Jail, will soon be arrested for the kidnapping. Probably, the entire gang will be booked under MCOCA,” said Sharma while briefing the media with DCP Zone I Shailesh Balkawde.
Crime branch police have already arrested Nitin Waghmare, Ashish Naidu, Kartik Tevar and Bharat Dubey in the kidnapping case. The suspected accused, notorious criminal Kottulwar, his brother Ashish, Khushal Thool and Nitin Patil are still absconding.
Police said Bhadre knew very well that Raut can arrange for crores through his business contacts and hence he tipped off Kottulwar, who was supported by his brother Ashish and Thool. Bhadre himself has revealed that Kottulwar and his supporters abducted Raut in a four-wheeler from Cosmos Square at Rana Pratap Nagar in December. He was kept locked up in a store room at Bhadre’s home at Bhande Plot. Initially, Kottulwar demanded ransom of Rs5 crore from Raut at gunpoint but later agreed to take Rs2 crore. Raut had arranged for Rs75 lakh from two friends and taken Rs1 crore from Bhadre. The very next day, Raut had paid Rs1 crore to Bhadre.
Police investigations show that from the ransom amount, Kottulwar had distributed Rs50,000 to his partners in the abduction. Police had also seized the sports car used in the abduction. Though crime branch has confirmed Bhadre was the mastermind behind the kidnapping, police are still investigating how Bhadre managed to provide Rs1 crore to Raut within an hour and are searching for Kottulwar and the others.