Mobile calls Kalyan kidnappers8217; bluff

MUMBAI, September 10: When Ravindra Suchak was ordered to chuck Rs 7 lakh onto the tracks between Khandala and Lonavala stations, he fear...

MUMBAI, September 10: When Ravindra Suchak was ordered to chuck Rs 7 lakh onto the tracks between Khandala and Lonavala stations, he feared he would lose more than his hard earned money, for the fate of the worn briefcase was inextricably tied to that of his teenage son, who was kidnapped on August 30.

Five days later, the Kalyan businessman was ecstatic. His son, a student of Sydenham College was released unhurt from a Lonavala bungalow and the kidnappers were behind bars, thanks to the electronic beeps that littered their trail. Ravindra also received a bonus: Rs 1.86 lakh of the ransom was recovered.

On August 30, Vishal 19 was abducted en route to his uncle Bharat Suchak8217;s house in Murbad in Thane district. When he failed to return till well past midnight, Vishal8217;s father, owner of Suchak Paper Manufacturing Ltd in Kalyan, grew worried. At 3.45 pm, Ravindra received a call from Vishal8217;s abductors, who told him they would kill his son if he approached the police.

Over the next four days, the Suchaks received about 70 calls demanding Rs 25 lakh as ransom. Vishal8217;s uncle Bharat bargained with the abductors, who settled for Rs 7 lakh. The Suchaks were told to throw a briefcase with the money at a spot along the tracks between Lonavala and Khandala on September 5. Vishal was released from captivity and returned home the next day. The Suchaks approached Thane Police Commissioner Bhujangrao Mohite, who set up a team led by DCP Sunil Ahire and Kalyan8217;s ACP Jayant Naiknawre.

Working with telephone numbers which from the Suchaks8217; caller-line ID, police set out on the abductors8217; trail. Naiknawre told Express Newsline: 8220;The calls were made from from Pune and Mumbai. After getting the details from the companies we zeroed in on two Kalyan numbers, which belonged to Anil Bhoite 19 and Ashwin Buniga 20. Both of them, residents of Kalyan, had colluded with a history-sheeter, who is absconding. Police say they cannot divulge his name for security reasons. The trio had also sought the help of friends in Lonavala 8212; Balu Chavan 32 and Kishan Dhavale 22 8212; who have also been arrested. They also recovered Rs 1.86 lakh of the ransom.