Caught red-handed at the crime scene, thief hatches sinister plan to take revenge at warring neighbour; falsely accuses the neighbour of being an accomplice in the heist

Criminals are known to come up with ingenious ideas to evade and mislead the police during interrogation.

However, one such brilliant conman came up with a sinister plan to kill two birds with one stone.


Imjured: Saitansingh Chundawat was stabbed with a knife in his store
near Hindmata, Dadar, on September 16. PIC/DATTA KUMBHAR

Mohammed Rafiq Sayyed, was caught red-handed when he and his two accomplices tried to rob a cloth merchant at Hindmata in Dadar. While his accomplices escaped, Rafiq was arrested from the scene of crime. During interrogation, Rafiq hatched a plan and named an old foe from his hometown, Sayyed Shafiq Chand, as an accomplice in the crime.

Rafiq had an axe to grind with Chand, and saw this as the perfect opportunity to get even.

The cops sent a team to Malegaon and arrested Chand from his residence on September 17. The Bhoiwada police were revelling in the fact that they had nabbed the absconding thief and were about to close the case.

However, all through the interrogation, Chand kept insisting that he was in Malegaon all along, and that he had nothing to do with the heist.

The cops did not believe Chand, owing to his criminal record, and continued to interrogate him for two days.

The cops then decided to run a check on Chand's alibi. They discovered that Chand and Rafiq were neighbours in Malegaon, and the duo had a long-standing feud over petty matters. They realised that Rafiq had led them on the wrong path, and used this as an opportunity to settle scores with Chand.

"During investigation we learnt that the gang hailed from Malegaon and Rafiq had several cases registered against him in Malegaon and Dhule," said Vikram Patil, senior inspector of Bhoiwada police station.

"We have completed all the legal formalities and have released Chand. Considering the sensitivity of the case, we did no take any leads lightly. We are now searching for the remaining two accused who are in possession of the robbed cash and are positive of nabbing the culprits soon," said an officer from Bhoiwada police station.

The crime
>> On September 16, shop owner Saitansingh Chundawat (33), his nephew Suraj and two servants were in the shop, when three persons, armed with a chopper and a revolver entered their store in Hindmata around 9.30 pm.

>> The three robbers threatened the owner and demanded all his cash. When Chundawat objected, the robbers stabbed him with a knife and fled.

>>u00a0However, Chundawat, along with his nephew Suraj, two employees and a passer-by managed to nab Rafiq. His two accomplices managed to escape with Rs 70,000.