Businessman held hostage for 2 hours in Noida Phase 2, four suspects on the run

A 33-year-old man was allegedly held hostage by four people in Noida’s Phase 2 for two hours on Sunday evening and forced to call his wife and ask for his car keys. However, after the suspects escaped with Shah’s mobile phone fearing that they would be caught by the police, the victim returned home

A 33-year-old man was allegedly held hostage by four people in Noida’s Phase 2 for two hours on Sunday evening and forced to call his wife and ask for his car keys. However, the suspects fled the spot with his mobile phone fearing that they would be caught by the police.

A case has been registered against the four suspects under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 342 and 506 at the Phase 2 police station on Monday, said police officials on Tuesday. (AFP)

The victim, Naveen Kumar Shah, is a resident of Pocket 7 in Noida’s Phase 2. Shah runs an online business while the main suspect Akhlaq Khan (45) lives in the same colony.

In his complaint to the police, Shah said Khan visited him and said he would show him his new office, some 500 metres away.

“Khan took me to his new office on a scooter at 6.30pm. Three more men reached there and held me hostage. They tied my hands and legs and asked me to hand over my car keys,” he said. Shah said he had left his car and its keys at home. “The suspects used my mobile phone to call my wife and forced me to say that I was unwell and I would send someone to collect the car keys from home,” he said.

Shah said his wife realised there was some foul play as he was fine when he left the house in the morning. “My wife informed some neighbours and feared that I was kidnapped. The suspects sent a man to collect the car keys but he could not dare to ask for it as a crowd had already assembled there. My family members then informed the police,” he said.

The suspects realised that the matter was getting out of hand and fled the spot with Shah’s mobile phone around 8.30pm, said the police. Shah said he then managed to get out of his restraints and return home.

Sujeet Upadhyaya, station house officer of Phase 2 police station, said a case has been registered against Khan and three unknown persons under sections 342 and 506 of the IPC on Monday. “We are investigating the matter,” he said.