₹4 crore ransom helps police nab three kidnappers

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police arrested three men allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a south Delhi businessmen who was released by the suspects after his family paid a ransom of ₹4 crore, police said on Monday.

A 26-year-old man, son of a south Delhi businessman, was allegedly kidnapped by four men while returning home from office in his i-20 car on January 1.On the same day, his family had received a ransom call demanding ₹5 crore and contacted the police. On January 6, the young man was released by the kidnappers near a five-star hotel in south Delhi after his family paid ₹4 crore to them on the directions of investigators from the Delhi Police crime branch.

Police said the three kidnappers, including a former employee of the businessman, was arrested the same day from Faridabad. Police recovered ₹3.96 crore cash. The fourth suspect is still at large. Investigating officials said the kidnappers were threatening to kill the businessman’s son if they refused to pay the money or informed police about the kidnapping. Police said over 120 crime branch officers were monitoring the delivery of the money and the release of the victim from a close distance.

Police said the kidnapping was planned by the former employee, Sumit Singh alias Rahul, who wanted to take revenge on the businessman for humiliating him. Rahul told police he worked as an accountant but was fired a month ago on alleged charges of embezzlement. He included his three friends – Ghanshyam Singh, Sunil Singh, and another accused – in his plan after promising them equal share in the ransom money. The planning was done around a month ago and multiple dry runs were carried out before the successful execution on January 1, said police.

Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (crime), refused to divulge details related to the victim’s family, the place from where the businessman’s son was abducted or where the ransom was paid. “We are not sharing these details keeping in view the victim’s vulnerability and his family’s request for anonymity,” said Kumar, confirming the safe release of the victim.

“The suspects appeared professional kidnappers because they were changing their locations while making the extortion calls. Also, they kept calls for less than a minute to avoid police detection. More than 50 calls were made between January 1 and January 6,” said an investigator.