‘Pakistan gang behind Mumbai bizman’s abduction in Mozambique’

MUMBAI: City businessman Pramod Goenka who was kidnapped from Mozambique in February is suspected to be held captive in the neighbouring Swaziland by a Pakistani gang at the behest of a London-based businessman, sources say.
Goenka, director of several realty firms, was reported missing hours after he landed in Maputo, capital of the south-eastern African nation, to meet a Gujarati businessman on February 17.His last call, according to his associates, was on the same evening. Next day, a few family friends, including a senior politician, received WhatsApp messages of Pramod’s naked pictures from his mobile, hinting at his abduction, but there was no demand for ransom.
Intelligence agencies of India and Mozambique suspect the kidnapping to be a fallout of a deal for prime land in Mumbai. Besides the UK businessman who has realty interest in Mumbai, a chartered accountant and a close relative of a musician are under the scanner.
Goenka family, which lodged a complaint with Mumbai police and the External Affairs Ministry, told police he had gone to Mozambique to meet one Kothari. Now, it’s being probed whether Kothari was a real businessman or was fictitious front man of the gang as instead of Kothari, a person named Ambubhai had come to pick Goenka at the Maputo airport. However, investigators have identified the man as Masjid.
An Indian intelligence team is in Mozambique to probe the case. CCTV footage at the Maputo airport show Masjid receiving Goenka and both leaving in a Honda car. “Based on information provided by the Indian high commission, the Mozambique police and Swaziland police carried out raids at several places, including two farmhouses, and found the car,” an official said. Investigation revealed the car is linked to a Pakistani gangster, Mazhar Shah.
The Mumbai CA has identified the car as the same in which Goenka was picked up on his earlier trip to Mozambique. As the CA was supposed to fly with Goenka but dropped out at the last minute, he has been questioned by the city crime branch.
Based on the CCTV footage , Call Detail Reports, the raids, and statements of people connected with Goenka, investigators suspect the kidnapping might have been done at the behest of the London businessman.
Agencies are also probing Goenka’s property near Pune. He was in debt and had planned to pay off his creditorsby selling the huge piece of land. Pramod is the brother of DB Realty’s Vinod Goenka, but have no business connections.