Covid lockdown foils kidnapper’s ransom plan, police nab three

The businessman was allegedly kidnapped at gun point, blind folded, assaulted and taken to Panipat by three men, who asked for a ransom of Rs 3 crore on March 5

The countrywide lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19, came as a boon for a businessman, saving him from being fleeced by his alleged kidnappers and helping police nab three suspects.

The suspects, Saurabh Singh, 35, Kulwant, 33, and Vikas, 27, were arrested and remanded to police custody for four days (HT Archives. Representative image)

The businessman was allegedly kidnapped at gun point, blind folded, assaulted and taken to Panipat by three men, who asked for a ransom of Rs 3 crore on March 5. When he expressed inability to pay, the ransom was bargained down to Rs 20 lakh, which was to be paid by the businessman at a designated location on March 20. However, the outbreak of coronavirus foiled the kidnappers’ plan, as they were unable to collect the ransom for three months due to ongoing lockdown.

Last month, after the lockdown restrictions were eased, the kidnappers resurfaced and sent a typed letter in English, reminding the businessman to ‘honour the commitment’. The businessman paid a part of the ransom but after repeated threats approached the police, who arrested the trio on Thursday.

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police, crime, said, the businessman negotiated it down to Rs 20 lakh and the kidnappers asked him to arrange the money by March 20.

“They dropped him off in Narela in Delhi from where he returned to his house. Meanwhile, his family had filed a missing persons complaint and when the police questioned him, he said that he had gone somewhere on his own. He was quite scared and did not mention the kidnapping,” said the ACP.

Police said on March 20, the suspects did not contact the victim. “Shortly after, the lockdown was imposed. The suspects did not contact the businessman during the lockdown, fearing arrest,” said a police official, requesting anonymity.

On June 19, over three months later, an unidentified man threw a letter in the businessman’s house. The letter, which was typed in English, mentioned that the businessman ‘must honour his commitment’ and come with the money to the same location at 10 am or he would be killed.

Police said the businessman went to the location, where two of the suspects were waiting. He gave them Rs 10 lakh but the suspects put a gun to his waist and demanded the rest of the money. They gave him another ultimatum to come up with the money till July 21.

“Over the next one month, the suspects made several threats to the victim. They sent an enclosed envelope to the businessman’s manager. The envelope had another letter addressed to his wife and daughter, in which kidnappers made more threats. On July 17, the businessman’s wife received an abusive phone call from the men and on July 20, the suspects met his manager near Anaj Mandi and threatened to kill him the following day if the money was not paid,” said the police official.

Fed up with the repeated threats, the businessman went to the police on Wednesday and on Thursday, the crime branch of sector 17 arrested the three suspects.

The suspects, Saurabh Singh, 35, Kulwant, 33, and Vikas, 27, were arrested and remanded to police custody for four days. Police said one of the suspects worked in an automobile company and lost his job four years ago, following which he set up a garage in Basai, which was not successful and he was under debt. So he planned this kidnapping bid with his aides for money.