Unpaid car owner catches buyer partying, fires at him in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A businessman, angry that a man who purchased his car was not paying him due to a paucity of funds but had enough money to party with friends, barged into the bar and fired two rounds at him early on Friday. Police said the bullets missed the target and were only to scare him.


The businessman, his wife and three others who accompanied him to the

Chembur

bar, are in the police lock-up. The complainant, Rakesh Sonawane, posted pictures of the party on social media, which prompted Jateen Ahuja (33) to pull the trigger, police said.

Govandi police arrested Jateen, his wife Praveena (32) and friends Rahul Bhosle (21), Ashfaq Saifan Akhtar (30) and Rashid Qasim Shaikh (30). Police recovered a country-made 7.65mm pistol used in the crime.

Navi Mumbai businessman Rakesh Sonawane and his girlfriend Shweta Pandey, a fashion designer, had brought a second-hand

Chevrolet Cruze

from Jateen, a property dealer from

Nerul

in Navi Mumbai for Rs 2.5 lakh. “Despite several reminders, Rakesh and Shweta only paid Rs80,000. Jateen had been pestering them to clear the dues but they sought more time and came up with excuses, police said.

On Thursday night, Rakesh and Shweta had gone to Orange Mint hotel and Bar in Chembur to celebrate a friend’s birthday party. “At 12.30am, Rakesh and Shweta uploaded pictures on Facebook. Jateen got furious that Rakesh was celebrating but had no money to clear his dues. He, along with his girlfriend and three others, drove to the bar. He fired one round near the entrance,” said investigating officer Shashikant Pawar of Govandi police station. Patrons ran helter-skelter and hotel staff immediately alerted police.

“Chembur detection staff arrested Jateen, Praveena and Bhosle, while two others tried to flee but were caught,” said Shahji Umap, DCP (zone VI). Umap said they have booked the accused for attempt to murder and under Arms Act.