BJP leader, 6 others held  for bid to kidnap  businessman

 The Malappuram police on Tuesday arrested seven persons, including a BJP Minority Morcha national leader, for attacking the house of NRI businessman K T Rabeeullah.

MALAPPURAM: The Malappuram police on Tuesday arrested seven persons, including a BJP Minority Morcha national leader, for attacking the house of NRI businessman K T Rabeeullah and attempting to kidnap him. The arrested are Aslam Gurikkal, hailing from Mangaluru, K S Abdul Rahman of Kasargod, Mohammed Riyaz of Kodagu and Usman, Sukumar, Ramesh and Keshava Moorthy of Bengaluru.

 Aslam Gurikkal is the national vice-president of BJP Minority Morcha and Keshava Moorthy is a constable with the Karnataka police.  The house of Rabeeullah at Kodur was attacked around 6 am on Monday. According to the police, the seven-member gang reached Kodur in three vehicles from Bengaluru. The vehicles were blocked in front of the entrance of the house by security guards.

Police taking gang members, who attacked the house of businessman Rabeeullah, to court after their arrest was recorded at Malappuram police station on Tuesday
Police taking gang members, who attacked the house of businessman Rabeeullah, to court after their arrest was recorded at Malappuram police station on Tuesday

Led by Aslam, three members of the gang trespassed into the house while security personnel denied them permission. They threatened to kill the security guards by pointing gun at them. They told security personnel they wanted to directly meet Rabeeullah.  Local residents detained three persons and handed them over to the police. Four persons, including Aslam, managed to escape in a vehicle and they were arrested by the police later from Kozhikode. 

“We suspect business rivalry might have led to the crime,” said Malappuram DySP Jaleel Thottathil.  A case was registered based on a complaint by Rabeeullah’s wife Shaharbanu. The police have registered a case on various charges, including trespassing into house and threatening by arms. Arms, including pistols, were seized from the gang. The vehicles used by the gang were also taken into custody. 

The police officer said preliminary investigation revealed the motive was to kidnap Rabeeullah. 
For the past few months, Rabeeullah has been keeping away from public sphere. After rumours regarding his absence in public and private functions for the past several months, he had appeared on Facebook three days ago. A live Facebook video by Rabeeullah said he is at his house at Kodur and undergoing treatment.  The arrested were produced before the Malappuram First Class Magistrate Court. The court will consider the bail plea on Wednesday. 

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