Businessman BM Mumtaz Ali's Body Recovered, Family Alleges Extortion Plot
MANGALURU: The body of businessman BM Mumtaz Ali was recovered from the Phalguni River near Kuloor Bridge on Monday. Ali, 52, was the brother of former MLA Mohiuddin Bava and former MLC BM Farooq.
Ali went missing in the early hours of Sunday, after sending a voice message to his family at around 3.30 am. The family, after hearing the message at 4.40 am, immediately launched a search and reported the matter to the police.
As Ali's car was found near Kuloor Bridge, police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) began a search operation in the river. His body was discovered on Monday around 10.10 am in the river. He is suspected to have jumped into the river at approximately 4 am on Sunday.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal told reporters that the family raised serious suspicions, alleging that his suicide was the result of continuous blackmail, threats, and harassment by a group of individuals.
According to reports, Ali had been extorted for over Rs 50 lakh since July 2024 and faced further threats if additional payments were not made. He had reportedly been under severe mental distress for the past three months due to alleged blackmail and honey-trapping by six individuals.
According to the family, false accusations regarding an illicit relationship involving one of the accused, Rehmatha, were used to tarnish Ali’s reputation and cause severe mental distress. Before his disappearance, Ali recorded a voice message at around 3 am on October 6, naming the individuals responsible for pushing him towards this act. The message was shared with multiple family members and friends, strengthening the family’s claims of blackmail and harassment
Based on the family's accusations, an extortion case has been registered against Rahmatha, Abdul Sattar, Khalandar Shafi, Mohammad Mustafa, Shuaib (Rahmatha's husband), and Mohammad Siraj Salam (the driver of Abdul Sattar).
The investigation is underway.