Three of Satpal gang sentenced to life for kidnapping

The Delhi High Court has sentenced three persons belonging to notorious Satpal gang to life for abducting three persons seven years ago from the capital.

The Delhi High Court has sentenced three persons belonging to notorious Satpal gang to life for abducting three persons seven years ago from the capital.

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The High Court, after going through all the evidences and testimonies of family members of abducted persons -- Anil Suri, Suraj Bhan and his son Manoj Kumar -- found the accused guilty and upheld the trial court verdict.

Upholding the trial court's order, a Bench comprising Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Indermeet Kaur said, "The testimony of Suraj Bhan inspires confidence and establishes that he and his son as also Anil Suri were held captive by the appellants and their cohorts. We find no merit in the appeals which are dismissed".

The trio -- Ram Baran, Surender and Megh Singh -- had abducted the three persons from Delhi and took them to Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh.

While Suri was kidnapped on his way to Agra, Bhan and his son were abducted from Vikaspuri in West Delhi.

The abductors then started making ransom calls from a public booth in Etawah, which was put under surveillance after the family members of Suri and Bhans informed the police.

"Receiving ransom calls over the telephone and the threat of physical injury to their kin have been proved through the testimony of Suman Suri and Neelam, sisters of Anil Suri as also through the testimony of Sushila, wife of Suraj Bhan and mother of Manoj," the court said.

With the help of local police, a Delhi police team nabbed the three accused while they were making ransom call but other members of the gang fled away with the captives.

Later on, Bhan was released and was asked to arrange Rs 25 lakh to get his son released. But his son Manoj managed to get away from the clutches of the abductors.

Anil Suri is still missing for the last seven years and has been assumed to be dead.

"In spite of all the efforts Anil Suri remains untraced. Presumably, he is dead. Unfortunately, other members of Satpal gang could not be arrested," the court said in its order.