Jashith Kidnap Case:Police Suspect Relatives’ Role

Kakinada: Although the abducted boy Jashith from Mandapeta was returned to his family safely, there remain several questions unanswered as to what led to the kidnap. Police investigating the case suspect the role of the circket-betting mafia, the long-held view ever since the boy went missing.

Lending credence to these suspicions, East Godavari SP Nayeem Asmi, who is leading the investigation, said an investigation was underway to confirm whether or not cricket betting media was actually involved in the crime as being speculated. The role of Jashith's relatives was also being probed, he added.

Speaking to press persons here on Sunday at his office, SP Nayeem was talking about interstate robbers who were caught in the region and when asked about the Jashith Kidnap case, he said that there was a link between the 17 bookies of a cricket-betting gang and the boy's kidnap.

The police were also investigating the angle whether the boy's relatives were involved in the crime, he said. He confirmed that they have located the places where the boy was kept in confinement for three days.

There were rumours that the boy was kidnapped owing to some monetary transactions based on cricket betting. It was reported that Jashith’s father, Venkataramana was a cricketer and used to play cricket regularly. The fact that the kidnapped boy showed no fear or tension even after the kidnapping further fuelling this suspicion. SP Nayeem had also said that area was known for being a hub of cricket betting.

Jashith, on the other hand, said that one of the kidnappers was a man called Raja (whom he seemed to know) and who treated him well and fed him idly every day.

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