Three of the aides were arrested on January 13 when the victim, Banbihari Roopkishore Gandhi, lodged a complaint with the Lakadganj police, while the fourth was nabbed on January 14. A Maruti van used in the crime was also seized.

Dhawade was picked up from his house in Joona Bagadganj locality here around 5.30 pm today by a police team headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kamlakar. The five have been charged with abduction, assault, trespass, issuing threats to life, conspiracy to kidnap and common motive. The abduction was executed by the four aides upon Dhawade's instructions, police said. They were named as Mohan Chintaman Kumbhare of Rajendra Nagar, Nandanvan; Shivraj Dhanraj Purushottam Waat of Dhawade mohalla; Ravindra alias Guddu Shyam Sundersingh Chavan of East WardhamanNagar and Ravikumar Bhavaniprasad Sharma of Dhawade Mohalla.

Not long ago, Dhawade, who has a wholesale oil dealership, was in the news when the police had paraded him handcuffed all the way from the Lakadganj police to Nyayamandir, the multi-storeyed District and Sessions Court complex.

The present matter arises from a deal between Dhawade and Gandhi in which Gandhi purchased oil worth Rs 10 lakh. He even paid Rs 6 lakh to Dhawade. A dispute arose over the remainder when the oil, which Gandhi sold at Hinganghat, was found to be adulterated and seized by the authorities. Apparently, Gandhi refused to pay for the adulterated oil.

This prompted Dhawade to threaten him with dire consequences and Gandhi moved the High Court here seeking protection, police said.

Around 11 pm on January 12, Dhawade's aides went to Gandhi's house in the Maruti van and threatened him to withdraw the petition. When the oil merchant refused to oblige, the men packed him in the van and took him to an unidentified place. Theyassaulted Gandhi with sticks and left after threatening him with dire consequences, police added.

Gandhi lodged a complaint with the Lakadganj police the following noon and Mohan, Shivraj and Ravindra were picked up from their homes. Ravikumar was arrested two days later.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Mangaljit Siram, Kalamna police station officer R A Sayyad, who holds the additional charge of Lakadganj police and his counterpart from Kotwali, Dadarao Wankhede, were part of the police team that arrested Dhawade this evening. Sub-inspector Malojirao Shinde is investigating.