Police made startling seizures of Rs. 74 lakh and 28 bullets from the house of Zafar Pahelwan, who was arrested two days ago in a history-sheeter's murder in Santoshnagar, in the old city during searches on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Revenue Department officials, who also inspected his house, reportedly sought the help of Archaeological Survey of India authorities to ascertain if the tomb of Bhagmati was located on the premises of his house spread over 4.5 acres of land in Rahmatnagar of Yaktupura. The ASI officials, police sources said, would search Pahelwan's house on Friday to confirm if the tomb of Bhagmati was located there.
The South zone DCP, Manish Kumar Sinha, said that in addition to the Rs. 74 lakh, 2,000 US dollars and 4,000 Riyals and receipts of bank fixed deposits to the tune of Rs. 40 lakh were found in Pahelwan's house. “These huge amounts are believed to have been earned by him through illegal money lending business,” the DCP said.
Along with 28 live rounds, 34 target cartridges (which are used for firing practice and contain less explosive material), several swords, daggers and hockey sticks were seized from his house. Twelve four-wheelers, 33 auto-rickshaws were also found parked on the premises of the house. Mr. Sinha said it was suspected that all the vehicles belonging to others were seized by Pahelwan as they failed to repay the loans taken from him.
Incriminating documents
The DCP maintained the police had been collecting information about Pahelwan's activities after his associates like Moosa were arrested in illegal money lending cases.
“Pahelwan used to lend money at unusually high interest rates and seize the vehicles kept as surety. We suspect most of the 45 vehicles found at his house were of this category,” Mr. Sinha explained.
Police stumbled upon documents suggesting that he had purchased flats in prime localities in Mumbai and immovable properties in other parts of Hyderabad. The house, which was raided by revenue and police officials jointly on Thursday, was allegedly built by encroaching upon government land measuring nearly 4.5 acres.
Zafar Pahelwan was an active member of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen earlier and got elected as a corporator on that party ticket twice.
However, he developed differences with the party leaders and contested against MIM nominee Mumtaz Khan from Yakutpura constituency on Majlis Bachao Tehreek party ticket in 2009 Assembly elections.
