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Wrong spelling in ransom note helps UP police crack staged kidnap plot, accused arrested
A contractor in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district received a ransom note threatening that failure to pay ransom money would result in the ‘deth’ of his brother.
Attempts to kidnap a contractor in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district were foiled by police, who managed to nab the accused using a spelling mistake he made in the ransom note, news agency PTI reported.
Sanjay Kumar, a contractor from Bandaraha village, complained to the local police about a ransom note from an unknown number which claimed that his brother Sandeep (27) had been kidnapped. The accused also demanded ₹5,000 as ransom money to release his brother.
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The note also threatened that failure to pay would result in Sandeep's “deth.” The contractor also received a video clip in which Sandeep was tied with rope. Kumar also told police that he did not share personal enmity with anyone.
How police cracked the plot
Superintendent of Police (SP) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun told PTI that the wrong spelling of “deth” helped police realise that the accused behind the note was not “much educated.” The ransom amount of just ₹5,000 also added to police suspicion.
During the investigation, police tracked Sandeep's location to Rupapur and managed to secure him. He was asked to write the ransom note again, in which he spelt death as “deth”.
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On further investigation, the Sandeep confessed that he staged his own abduction to extract money from his brother. He also told police that the idea to stage the plot was inspired by popular crime serial “CID”.
Police said Sandeep worked at a cane purchase centre in Mirzapur. The ransom money was to compensate an elderly man, who was injured when Sandeep hit him with his bike on December 30. Sandeep devised the plot as he was under pressure to pay the compensation, police said.
(With PTI inputs)
