Body of former MLA’s brother who went missing found in Phalguni river, 6 booked
Mumtaz Ali was reported missing by his family since Sunday at around 3 am and at around 5 am his car was found in a damaged condition on the Kuluru bridge
The body of brother of former MLA Mohiuddin Bawa, who was reported missing on Sunday, was found in the Phalguni river near Kuluru, Mangaluru, on Monday, police said adding that six people have been booked for abetting his suicide.
According to the police, Mumtaz Ali was reported missing by his family since Sunday at around 3 am and at around 5 am his car was found in a damaged condition on the Kuluru bridge. He was actively involved in various industries and mosque committees
On Monday, police said cctv footages have revealed that Ali was seen driving around the city before halting his vehicle near the Kuluru bridge at 5am. Confirming the recovery of the body, Mangaluru police commissioner Anupam Agarwal told PTI that investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause of his death.
“We deployed teams of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and fire department. Around six teams were working continuously to trace the body... This morning, at 6 am, we resumed operation and we found the body around 10.15 am. The body was shifted to hospital for post-mortem and further examination,” he told reporters.
In response to his death, an FIR was lodged at the Kavur police station against six people, including a 42-year-old woman named Rehmat, for allegedly blackmailing, threatening, and extorting the businessman. The other accused include Abdul Sattar, Shafi, Mustafa, Shuaib, and Siraj, Sattar’s driver. They have been charged with abetting his suicide through ongoing harassment, police said.
Kavoor police inspector B Raghavendra confirmed to HT that the businessman used to be blackmailed using a sex video. “We received a complaint involving blackmail. A Lookout Circular (LoC) has been issued to prevent the accused from fleeing the country. The deceased was reported to have jumped into the river early Sunday, and his body was recovered at around 10 am,” he said.
He further said that Ali’s car was damaged as he had rammed into a private bus.
The accused have been booked under the relevant sections of the BNS, including section 108 for abetment to suicide and section 308 for extortion. “The complaint specifies that the deceased had been battling severe depression for the past three months due to continuous threats and blackmail over the sex video,” Raghavendra added. All accused have been absconding since the case was filed, and a search has been launched to apprehend them.
The deceased’s brother, former MLA Bawa said: “My brother was a respected figure in society, dedicated to social service, education, and public life for over 30 years. These individuals conspired to destroy his reputation, pushing him to take this tragic step.”
The body was taken to the city’s AJ Hospital for post-mortem, police said.
With PTI inputs
