Bengaluru man left home for a day. Then his father got Rs 90 lakh ransom call

Threat calls

According to a senior police officer, Manish left his home around 8 pm on September 29 after telling Manohar he was going to Gadag for a financial transaction and would return the next morning. However, he did not return as promised.

The next day, Manohar began receiving WhatsApp calls from someone claiming that his son had been abducted. The callers allegedly said Manish was being held captive and demanded Rs 90 lakh for his release.

Sources say that the caller also sent photos of Manish being tied to a chair and threatened the family with dire consequences if the ransom was not paid.

Concerned about his son’s safety, Manohar approached the police and lodged a complaint. The police registered a case and began tracking the mobile number used to make the calls.

Tracking phones

The police initially traced Manish’s mobile phone and subsequently tracked another number used by the alleged abductors. The investigation led police to a remote village near Belur, where they located the house where Manish was staying.

A police team raided the house early Thursday and found Manish with two other men. The police rescued Manish and detained the other two, bringing them to the city.

During questioning, the accused allegedly gave conflicting accounts about the circumstances in which Manish was found there, prompting the police to examine the possibility that the abduction could have been staged to extort money from his father.

“It is too early to conclude that Manish planned the episode himself. We are investigating whether he was instigated or motivated by someone else,” a senior police officer said, adding that they are also investigating whether anyone else was involved.

The police are also examining the financial circumstances behind the demand for Rs 90 lakh and the role of the two other men.

Further investigation is under way.