Jasdan man plotted firing on himself to frame his enemy

RAJKOT: The firing on Iqbal Kathiri, a history-sheeter in Jasdan on February 4 has turned out to be pre-planned conspiracy by him to frame another notorious criminal and his sworn enemy from Bhavnagar.
Rajkot rural local crime branch (LCB) arrested Mohsin Sahamadar (25) and Akil Chauhan (22) for firing at Kathiri, who runs gambling dens. Police seized a country-made pistol and few catridges from the duo.

However, Mohsin's interrogation revealed that Kathiri had asked him to open fire at his car after the former spilled the beans on how he was given a contract to eliminate him by Ubaid, a notorious criminal from Bhavnagar who is lodged at the Junagadh jail as a murder convict. Mohsin is a trusted aide of Kathiri.

Police sources told TOI that Ubaid had allegedly murdered Kathiri's nephew few years ago, which resulted in bitter enmity between then. Few months ago, Mohsin was in Jamnagar jail for some crime where he befriended Rajkot's history-sheeter Aadil, who was a close aide of Ubaid. When Mohsin told him about the animosity between Kathiri and Ubaid, Aadil offered to strike a compromise between them. Later, after being released from the jail, he took Mohsin to meet Ubaid in Junagadh jail. Aadil told Ubaid that henceforth Mohsin would work for him and not Kathiri. Ubaid then offered to a buy a house for Mohsin in Wankaner and gave him Rs 15,000 as contract money along with a pistol to eliminate Kathiri.

However, Mohsin had a change of heart when he went to Kathiri's house to offer sweets as he was blessed with a son. He revealed to Kathiri that Ubaid had given him a 'supari' to eliminate him. Kathiri then hatched a plan to frame Ubaid in the firing case and asked Mohsin to open fire at his car. He also told Mohsin to name Ubaid if police arrested him in this case.

According to the plan, Mohsin and Chauhan opened fire on Kathiri's empty car.

Police then reached Iqbal's house in Jasdan just when he was leaving and found two pistols and 12 cartridges from him. All three were booked under the Arms Act.