2 nabbed for making fake ransom call to missing infant’s kin

On October 9,when the family of 10-month-old missing boy Nishant issued an advertisement in a Hindi daily seeking help from people in tracing the infant and announcing a reward of Rs 50,000,the least they thought was that someone,rather than helping them,would make a fake ransom call to earn money. The two who made the fake ransom call to the family have landed in police custody and have been identified as Ravi Raj,22,and Pardeep Kumar alias Deepi,23,both residents of Mubarkpur Derabasi,Punjab.

The Panchkula police have also arrested Jitender Kumar of Barwala,the sub-dealer who issued a new SIM to the duo after they submitted fake documents. “After going through the ad,the two planned to make some money.” said Mansa Devi Complex (MDC) SHO Dalip Kumar.

Nishant had gone missing from Mansa Devi temple on September 28 after his parents,Anil Kumar and Sarita,got separated during the Navratra festival. Sarita gave Nishant to an unknown couple standing near her so that she could look for her husband. The couple also gave Sarita their mobile phone number. When Sarita returned,she could not find them. She,however,managed to find her husband and when they called the number of the couple,it was found to be fake. The parents lodged a complaint at the MDC police station a day later.

The police had initially registered a daily diary report. But after the ransom call was made to Ashu (Nishant’s uncle),a case was registered under Section 364A (kidnapping for ransom). The SHO said that the fake ransom call for Rs 10 lakh was made on October 12,immediately after the duo had procured a SIM of Idea Cellular Ltd in the name of Yaqoob,a resident of Champaran,Bihar.

Meanwhile,Ashu called the SHO who told him that if he gets another call from them,he should give his number to the abductors. “The plan worked. The alleged kidnappers called me and I pretended to be another uncle of the baby. The caller said that the infant was with them and they should arrange for Rs 10 lakh if they want him. I told them that I would give the money but I should be sure that the infant was with them. They told me to come to Ambala railway station with the money the next day. By then police had geared up many of their teams to trace the location of the cell. After speaking to the SHO,the cell was switched off,” he said.

The cops went with Ashu in civil dress to Ambala station the next day and the alleged abductors failed to prove the baby was with them. “The International Mobile Equipment Identity number of the phone was traced and it was found to be registered in the name of Ravi,son of Jank Raj,a resident of Punjab. We raided his residence and he was taken into custody. He revealed the name of the other accused Pradeep,who too was arrested,” the police said. The infant continues to be missing.