Malayali couple among three arrested in K’tka businessman Mumtaz Ali’s death

Mangaluru: Mangaluru Police on Tuesday arrested three individuals, including a Malayali couple, in connection with the death of businessman B M Mumtaz Ali (52).

Kavoor police arrested Ayesha Rahmath, her husband Shoaib, and their driver Siraj from a hideout in Melkar, Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada. The couple, involved in a blackmailing racket, were charged with abetment to suicide, according to the police. 

Expert diver Eshwar Malpe, along with NDRF officials, recovered Ali’s body from the Phalguni river mouth under the Kulur bridge on Monday, following a 12-hour-search mission. "Three others who were partners in this blackmailing racket are absconding. Two are identified as Abdul Sattar and Shafi Nandavar, and the identity of the other accused is yet to be established," a senior police officer told PTI.

According to cops, Ali had been reported missing since Sunday morning, and his badly damaged car was found abandoned near the Kulur bridge on the National Highway 66. Ali, a prominent businessman and chairman of the Misbah Group of Educational Institutions, is a well-known figure in the local community. He is also the younger brother of former Karnataka MLA Mohideen Bava.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Ali was running a college in the city, was generous, and helped people who approached him. "Taking advantage of this, Ayesha had developed an intimacy with Ali and milked him, the police officer said. She then used this relationship as a weapon to blackmail him. She was assisted by her husband, Shoaib, in this crime," he said.

"Later, Siraj, Abdul Sattar, and Shafi Nandavar joined the racketeers and extracted over Rs 50 lakh from Ali. They had also made a video of Ali playing with Ayesha's children and sent it to his family. Due to this, Ali had been under pressure from his family. The racketeers had recently demanded Rs 2 crore from him," the officer added.