With the arrest of one man from Dubai and two criminals in Delhi, police said they have solved a case where a businessman in Vasant Vihar received bullets and a threat in March. Investigators said the prime suspect in the case, the former top official of a major Indian textile brand, arranged threats to the businessman in an attempt to conceal illicit affairs. A web of blackmailing and threats, police officers said, started when the former chief commercial officerof Raymond Ltd Rajesh Gogna terminated the contract of a vendor identified by the police as Deepak Sateeja – a resident of Vasant Vihar, who received the threat letter in question.
After the termination, Sateeja reportedly blackmailed Gogna that he will disclose to the latter’s family about illicit affairs that Sateeja had reportedly “helped arrange”, investigators familiar with the case said. In response, police said, Gogna contacted a man in Dubai, event planner Ali Zaidi, to help arrange threats to Sateeja. Zaidi, in turn, then told a man, Saif Ali Khan in Delhi, to hire two men to deliver a threat letter and live bullet cartridges to Sateeja’s house.
Three people have been arrested in the case, confirmed deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Rohit Meena, but refrained from sharing further details. The events in the case came to light on March 13, when Sateeja said that he and his wife spotted a red cloth outside their house, but ignored it. The next day, they noticed that the red package had been moved inside the compound of their house.
“On March 15, his gardener brought the red package to him in his residence at 11.24am. When Sateeja unwrapped the cloth, he found it contained a box of sweets along with a handwritten threat note and two live cartridges,” said a senior police officer.
A case under section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act was registered and investigation was taken up. When investigators looked at the CCTV footage of the vicinity, they spotted two men who came and dropped off the package on a motorcycle. “They were identified.
The first arrest was made within three days of the incident,” the officer said. Saif Ali Khan, 29, resident of Fatehpur Beri, was arrested first on March 18. During interrogation, he told police that he was contacted by Ali Zaidi, who asked him to send the threat on the directions of Gogna.
“Khan said that he then hired two men – Azam Khan and Rizwan Khan – to carry out the job,” the investigator said. Azam was then arrested on April 25 from Fatehpuri Beri. “He is a habitual offender and has 18 criminal cases registered against him,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, a lookout circular was issued by the Home Ministry against Dubai-based Zaidi in order to nab him as he tried to enter Delhi. On July 1, investigators said, Zaidi came to India and was arrested at the airport after which he was interrogated. “During interrogation, he said that Gogna contacted him to arrange threats to the businessman in Vasant Vihar,” the officer said.
During interrogation, police said, it was revealed that Sateeja was a vendor for Raymond’s for several years and was closely associated with Gogna during the period. However, Gogna terminated his services a few months before the incident, the officer said. “Sateeja was upset with this and blackmailed Gogna that he will share details of his alleged affairs with his family.
Therefore, to teach Sateeja a lesson, Gogna planned the threat to him,” the officer said. Investigators said that Azam Khan’s bank details showed that he received ₹ 1.5 lakh from Saif Ali.
“We also found video footage of all the accused meeting at a luxury hotel in Delhi. We can’t share the month and time of the meeting,” the officer said. Gogna, meanwhile, has been evading arrest and seeking anticipatory bail in the matter, police said.
Gogna’s advocate Moni Cinmoy said: “He has been falsely implicated in the case because the complainant had personal enmity with Gogna. He is seeking anticipatory bail. The matter was heard on August 6 and has been given interim relief by the Supreme Court till the next hearing on August 28.
” An official for Raymond Ltd, asking not to be identified, said: “Rajesh Gogna was suspended on March 18 (three days after registration of case) for various types of allegations of irregularities and illegalities committed by him. The company has nothing to do with the incident.” Police said that chargesheet has been submitted in a Delhi court against Saif Ali and Azam while teams are still looking for fourth accused Rizwan.
Zaidi was arrested in July, and police will file a supplementary charge sheet against him..
