Robbers flee with 34-year-old's cash, car and cellphone

The four accused followed the victim's car, intercepted it on eastern highway and beat him up before running away

Four unidentified men robbed a Vikhroli-based businessman onSunday, while he was on his way to a family get-together. Piyush Sureshbhai Raithatha (34), a cloth manufacturer, was driving from his factory in Mumbra to a relative’s place in Bhandup, where a family celebration was to take place. According to the victim, a car had been following him the moment he had left hisunit.

“A white car had been chasing me for a very long time. They even tried intercepting me, and on two occasions, I gave them the way, thinking that the driver was in a hurry,” said Raithatha inhis statement.

Around 9 pm, when Raithatha reached the Airoli-Bhandup junction (near Bhandup pumping station) on the Eastern Express Highway, he turned on the right indicator, to show that he was going towards Bhandup. This was when the car trailing him sped up and intercepted his.

“Four men in the car suddenly overtook my vehicle and stopped it. Two got out of the car, opened my door and pulled me out. The duo then assaulted me and took me near the service road,” added the victim in his statement. Later, they pushed him and ran, following which they fled from the spot with his car. The victim lost his car, his mobile phone and Rs 24,000 in cash.

When the victim’s family tried calling his cell phone, the accused disconnected the call and switched off the device.u00a0A case was registered at the Navghar police station. The police have been successful in getting CCTV footage from the Thane toll plaza, of the time Raithatha entered Mumbai from Thane.

Officers traced the last location of the accused near Rabale, when the family had tried calling on the robbed phone. The accused have been booked under sections 392 (robbery), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Rs 24,000
The amount of cash that businessman Piyush Raithatha was robbed ofu00a0

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!