A close associate of a notorious gangster was arrested from Vaishali district on Sunday even as a CID team quizzed Hanif Hingora, a Surat-based industrialist and real estate magnate.

Sources said a CID team questioned Hanif, father of Sohail Hingora, about the kidnapping of his 22-year-old son near his industrial unit in Daman on October 29 and his subsequent release in Saran district on November 30 after payment of huge ransom.

The sources said a close associate of Chandan Sonar, a notorious criminal operating in Bihar and Jharkhand, was picked up for interrogation from Mahnar in Vaishali district, around 30km northeast of Patna. The suspect is considered to be close to Deepak Kumar Singh, son of assistant sub-inspector of police Nagmani Singh posted in Jharkhand’s Giridih district.

Chandan’s name had earlier figured in the kidnapping of a series of prominent businessmen for ransom from Jharkhand. Sources said Chandan was active since 2005 and was earlier arrested in connection with an extortion case in Patna. Later, he shifted his area of operation to Jharkhand and other states. Giridih superintendent of police Kranti Kumar Garhadeshi said Nagmani was put under suspension on Saturday after he had come to know about his name figuring as an accused in the kidnapping FIR case.

Garhadeshi said ASI Singh was found absent from duty and he made bogus entries into the attendance roster. “He was on leave from November 16 to November 25. He was supposed to report to the police lines on November 26. But he returned on December 3 and made wrong entries in the roaster to befool his seniors,” he added.

Sources said the ASI was staying in rented accommodation in Giridih town. Investigating officers suspected that other members of the gang involved in Sohail’s kidnapping might have been taken shelter in the house. Singh’s another son Ranjeet Kumar Singh was arrested in Chuturpur village in Saran district on Saturday.

A CID team headed by a deputy superintendent of police is learnt to have persuaded Hanif to provide evidences against the abductors allegedly involved in the high-profile kidnapping. However, it could not be confirmed whether the team met Sohail, who was advised medical treatment after his release.

What transpired between Hanif and the visiting team leader could not be immediately known. “We are already on the job. We reached Daman today (Sunday) and started our work,” said a member of the team requesting anonymity. He, however, confirmed that the team had met the victim’s father and inquired about the incident.

MISSION DAMAN

CID team meets Daman superintendent of police

Team to gather detailed information about the
kidnapping case

Since Daman has no record of such high-profile abduction, the team wants to find the gang’s links to those operating in Bihar