Aurangabad, Aug 28: The Crime Branch of Aurangabad Police have arrested nine people, who were planning to set free criminal Imran Mehendi from police custody after he was produced before a district court on Monday. Mehendi, along with seven others, was handed life imprisonment for murdering NCP corporator Salim Qureshi in March 2012.

The police got a tip of their plan a few days back and accordingly a team laid a trap in Naregaon locality on the outskirts of the city, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepali Ghadge Dhate.

The plan was made by Mehendi's friends Habib Khaled Mohammed aka Khaled Chaus and Mohammed Shoeb Mohammed Sadiq, the police said. "In order to free Mehendi, they had called seven criminals from Madhya Pradesh.

Together, their plan was to attack the police escort team and free Mehendi and others. However, the Crime Branch got to know about the plan a few days back," Dhate said.

The police also seized a pistol, seven bullets and a jeep from the spot.

Commissioner of Police Chiranjeev Prasad has declared a reward of Rs 50,000 for the bravery of the Crime Branch team.

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