TWO REAL ESTATE AGENTS HELD HOSTAGE, RELEASED

Two real estate agents were allegedly held captive by a driver of the secretariat, after the former duped him into purchasing a disputed plot of land. The driver, who was demanding his money back, held the duo hostage in his house in Indira Nagar. The duo was released after 24 hours with police intervention. The driver was also arrested after an FIR was lodged with Vikas Nagar police in this connection.

According to the police, the drama started on Saturday morning when the driver, Ram Gulab Chaubey, called the two agents Pramod Kumar and Ghan Shyam, residents of Vikas Nagar, to his place in Indira Nagar at 11 pm. Ghan Shyam’s younger brother Madhur Shyam lodged an FIR of kidnapping with Vikas Nagar police when his brother did not return till late night on Saturday and his mobile phone was also found switched off.

The police swung into action and got the duo released from captivity on Sunday morning. Circle officer of Mahanagar Vishal Pandey said, “The driver held them captive with the help of his three aides after calling the real estate agents to his house, as the duo was not returning him ` 6.5 lakh”. He said the driver had invested the money in purchasing land on the suggestion of the two agents.

He said the driver alleged the agents intentionally made him invest money in the land that had controversy over ownership and duped him. He was demanding his money back for the past several weeks but the agents made excuses for delay in paying back the amount. He said the driver was troubled with the agents’ activities and hence planned to hold them hostage to get their money back but landed himself in legal trouble.

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