Haryana gangster arrested for threatening Gandhidham trader

RAJKOT: The Kutch police have arrested a history-sheeter from Haryana, who was serving a life term in the 2016 murder case of a Gandhidham-based garments businessman.

Afroz Ansari, a dreaded extortionist, was caught by the team of Kutch local crime branch from Haryana-Uttar Pradesh border on May 28 in another case of extortion lodged by Mohammed Rafiq Bara, who also trades in used garments in the port town.

Bara had lodged a complaint against Ansari on May 21 saying that the former had asked him to hand over his entire business to him and threatened to eliminate him if he did not agree.

In 2016, Ansari had given the contract to bump off businessman Sachin Dhawan (29) who was shot dead from close range outside his office in Gandhidham on August 1.

"Ansari and his brother Ali were serving life term in this case for the past nearly18 months. Three months ago, Ansari had got interim bail from the high court," said DV Rana , police inspector, LCB.

Following Bara's complaint, we started mobile surveillance of Ansari's phone and traced him to the bank of Yamuna River on Haryana-UP border.

Police sources said that Ansari's accomplice from Anjar, Anwar Raja, has also been detained. Raja has a case of murder in Anjar and two other offences including timber theft lodged against him. He is also involved in threatening Bara.

In August last year, Haryana police's crime investigation agency (CIA) had also arrested Ali Mohammad, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh declared by the Gandhidham Traders Association to anyone giving information about him.

Ali Mohammad, a native of Bihar , was a key accused in Dhawan's murder.

Ansari, police said, has at least five cases of extortion lodged against him in Kutch. These were registered between 2011 and 2016.

Sources in Kutch police said that Ansari was trying to form a gang in Kutch with an aim to take over the lucrative used-garments business being carried out from the Kandla special economic zone.