North Delhi businessman rescued from Dehradun

A 38-year-old businessman, who had allegedly been kidnapped from his residence in north Delhi's Sarai Rohilla on December 18, has been rescued from Dehradun, police said on Friday. Jatin Anand reports.

A 38-year-old businessman, who had allegedly been kidnapped from his residence in north Delhi's Sarai Rohilla on December 18, has been rescued from Dehradun, police said on Friday.

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According to sources, Vinod Kumar of Dayanand Colony area had gone missing after being lured for drinks to a Paharganj restaurant on the fateful evening.

"We rescued Kumar from Dehradun after his former clients-turned-abductors held him there for two days and had demanded a ransom of R1 crore from his wife for his safe release," said a senior police officer.

Police have arrested three men - Amanpreet, Pinka and the brother of the plan's mastermind, Lalit, identified as Dheeraj - for their involvement in the crime.

A drunk Kumar, police said, had been driven to Noida by his abductors from a pub in Paharganj before the first ransom call was made from his phone on the morning of December 19.

"The gang, which was travelling in two separate cars, kept misleading us across Delhi, Noida, Nainital and Dehradun for days before Dheeraj was finally arrested from Udham Singh Nagar on December 21," the officer said.

Police said they had been able to track the gang after they withdrew Rs 25,000 from an ATM in Nainital after giving police the slip on December 19. Three others wanted in the case are at large and investigations are underway.