MUMBAI: Two money lenders abducted a 63-year-old woman from Juhu after her son failed to repay Rs 80 lakh, and released her only after she signed documents acknowledging the debts. Although the incident happened last month, police arrested one of them on Monday and are now searching for his accomplice.According to the police, complainant Pinakini Bhansali alleged that her son Monil had borrowed large sums of money from various persons, including one Zafar Qureshi, at a 30 per cent interest rate and had pledged jewellery valued at around Rs 3 crore. She stated that despite repayment of about Rs 80 lakh, Qureshi continued threatening him. The unit 10 of the crime branch arrested Qureshi’s associate, Alfaz Firoz Kasam, on the charges of abduction, illegal money lending, extortion and criminal intimidation racket. Qureshi is on the run.Last month, on one occasion, she was forcibly made to sit inside a car in Santacruz West by Qureshi and his two associates and taken to a secluded place, where she was threatened and coerced to sign or give her thumb impression on stamp papers acknowledging liability of Rs 80 lakh. Qureshi threatened that her son’s life would be in danger if the amount demanded was not paid. The accused also shot a video of her signing the documents. He also threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed this to anyone and later allowed her to go. “He then started making threat calls to her,” said an officer. Afraid, she confided in her husband, who asked her to lodge an FIR.The city crime branch carried out a search of Qureshi as well as arrested Kasam’s house and claimed to have seized several original loan agreements, vehicle sale contracts and related documents involving large cash transactions between Qureshi and multiple persons. A mobile handset containing the coercion incident has also been seized.The Crime Branch has alleged Qureshi has been running an illegal money lending business without licence, lending money at exorbitant interest rates and recovering dues through threats and coercion with the help of his associates. Police also suspect Qureshi has targeted several others in a similar fashion.
