E-Paper
Abducted from Lucknow, 65-year-old jeweller alleged to be in Nepal police custody
The police have decided to seek the help of the ministry of external affairs in the case of missing Lucknow goldsmith Kishori Lal Soni who is reportedly in police custody in Nepal.
On September 28, 63-year-old goldsmith Kishori Lal Soni went missing from Lucknow. CCTV footage showed two people stopping Soni, seen riding a two-wheeler, and shoving him into a waiting car.
On September 29, even as a missing person complaint was lodged at the Madiaon police station, the jeweller’s family received a call claiming that Soni was in police custody in Nepal where he is wanted in a murder case.
“The person on the other end told Soni’s wife that Kishori Lal is being sent to prison for his involvement in a murder case,” said the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Lucknow Kalanidhi Naithani..
So, how did the jeweller, believed to be abducted from Lucknow’s Madaion area, land in Nepal police custody?
The Uttar Pradesh police are trying to piece together the case to get answers.
“We have intimated officials to track the car shown in the video,” the SSP said.
The Police have also decided to seek the help of the ministry of external affairs (MEA). “We will ask the MEA to contact authorities in Nepal, where missing Soni is reportedly lodged in prison,” said Naithani.
The jeweller’s son Vikas Soni told ANI,”Nepal Police abducts an innocent Indian citizen from Lucknow and takes him to Nepal. Does Indian government not feel responsible that one of its citizens has been taken away to another country.”
Vikas told ANI he spoke to his father on a number provided by the police. “UP police gave us a number on which a Nepal police personnel made me speak to my father. My father said that he was abducted from near his shop but did not know his current location,” he added.
Commenting on the row, UP minister B Pathak was quoted as saying, “Nepal is our friend. Nepal and India have a responsibility towards each other and law should be abided by.”
In 2004, Soni married off his daughter into a family in Nepal. Two years later, five of the family, including his daughter were murdered.
The investigating team of the Nepal police made Soni an accused in the case and reportedly showed in their records that Soni was ‘arrested from Nepalganj area of Nepal on September 29.’
