Posing as cops, two men assaulted the man on Hughes Road and forced duo to sit pillion on two different motorcycles; the man pulled out the key from the ignition, helping police nab the accused

What should have been a regular night drive in south Mumbai turned into a nightmare for two colleagues — a man and a woman — who were abducted by two men posing as policemen near Hughes Road, at Kemps Corner. The situation had all the makings of a worse ending, but for the brave actions of the man and the timely intervention of the police.

The case has been registered with the Gamdevi police. According to the police, the complainant is a resident of Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai and, on Saturday night, had gone to Andheri to meet his relatives.

A female colleague was accompanying him and after the meeting, the duo decided to go to Marine Drive for a night ride on the motorcycle. The man, who was driving, went via Haji Ali.

Around 2 am on Sunday, the vehicle had reached Hughes Road, near Kemps Corner, when the duo heard loud whistles. When they turned, they saw two men on a motorcycle following them. Thinking they were policemen, the complainant stopped his bike.

The pillion rider, who was blowing the whistle, claimed they were policemen in civilian attire and asked for the man’s driving licence. When the complainant demanded to see their IDs, one of them allegedly slapped the man and manhandled him. They then snatched his driving licence and told the duo they would have to come to the police station to get the licence back.

Taken for a ride

A police officer from Gamdevi police station said, “The pillion rider forced the complainant to sit behind him while he drove the man’s motorcycle. The woman, on the other hand, was asked to sit pillion on the vehicle the accused had brought along.”

As the accused were riding, they did not reach a police station even after a long time. Sensing the danger they were in, the 22-year-old complainant started shouting for help. Luckily, the real police — in a patrol van from J J Marg police station — heard his cries on J J Marg.

The man himself showed courage and managed to pull out the keys from the ignition of the motorcycle he was sitting pillion on, and the vehicle came to a halt. Policemen, who were nearby, intercepted it. Seeing the cops, the rider of the bike carrying the woman pushed her off and sped away.

The policemen arrested the one accused left on the scene. He was identified as Salim Irshaad Khan (42), an auto driver from Mumbra. A case was registered at JJ Marg police station and then transferred to Gamdevi police as the incident had occurred in their jurisdiction.

Khan was booked under Sections 170 (wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.,), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. He was produced in the Esplanade court yesterday and remanded in police custody.

A hunt is on for the other accused.