NCP leader kidnapped, assaulted over financial dispute in Nanded district; 7 held

Nanded, Dec 24 (PTI) An NCP leader was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted over a Rs 2 crore financial dispute in Maharashtra’s Nanded district, following which police arrested seven persons, officials have said.

Victim Jeevan Ghogare, former leader of opposition in Nanded Municipal Corporation, has accused MLA Prataprao Chikhalikar, who represents the Loha assembly seat in the district, of orchestrating the attack.

Chikhalikar, who also belongs to the NCP headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has rubbished the claim, calling it a political conspiracy.

The complainant was targeted on Monday afternoon in the Dnyaneshwar Nagar area while travelling in his Innova car, police said on Tuesday.

A group of people in a Scorpio allegedly intercepted him, pelted his vehicle with stones, and forcibly dragged him into their SUV, he said.

After learning about the incident, police launched a search. However, Ghogare contacted the police, claiming that he had not been kidnapped but had gone voluntarily for business. Sensing foul play, police persisted with the search.

Ghogare was later found abandoned and injured. He told the police that his captors had forced him at gunpoint to make the false claim that he was safe.

Seven persons have been arrested in connection with Ghogare’s kidnapping and assault, an official said. They have been identified as Shubham Sunewad, Rahul Dasarwad, Kaustubh Ranveer, Vivek Suryawanshi, Madhav Waghmare, Mohammad Afroz, and Devanand Bhole.

Ghogare also claimed that sitting MLA Chikhalikar and a former legislator were behind the attack, which he said stemmed from long-standing financial dealings and political rivalry. He alleged that he and his family had been receiving death threats from these leaders.

Chikhalikar rejected the allegations, saying he had no connection with this incident.

“This is a political conspiracy. I have been occupied with election duties and counting for the past three days and am currently attending the Malegaon fair. I only learned of this through the media. I am confident the police investigation will bring the truth to light,” he said. PTI COR NR