Rs 3 cr ransom paid for businessman

Expressing confidence that the other accused would soon be arrested, Srivastav said besides a team of the Delhi Crime Branch, another team was also on the trail of the remaining four accused.

When contacted, city Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha pleaded ignorance about the ransom. He said Rajkot police have formally arrested the three — Sanjay Ramchandra, Pradeep Amarsinh and Rajesh Sahibsinh in the kidnapping case and they will be produced in court today. He said the three accused are presently in judicial custody in Delhi.

Bhaskar Parekh and Paresh Shah were returning from the former’s farmhouse when they were kidnapped in the wee hours of November 12. The two were first taken to Amreli where they were kept at the residence of Tejas Dher, a local contact of the gang and close associate of Rajshree Mher and Vishal Madam, who were involved in the kidnapping. Mher and Madam were close associates of Raju Anandkat, who is presently lodged in Dubai jail. Raju, who has connections with the Fazlu Rehman gang, is said to have planned the abduction.

From Amreli, they were taken to Rajpipla and then to Thava in Bharuch where they were kept for a week. At Thava, the two were separated. Bhaskar was taken to Delhi on November 19.

Acting on a tip-off, a Rajkot police team raided Thava village on November 26. While the main accused Rajshree Mher was killed in an encounter, police managed to secure the release of Paresh. Following this operation, several persons who had helped the kidnappers in some way or the other were arrested.

Early on December 1, Bhaskar was released in Delhi by the kidnappers. After being freed, he went to Mumbai and then took a flight to Rajkot.

Later, police went to Calcutta and Mumbai based on a tip-off. Police then arrested Deepak Mandal, a close associate of Raju Anandkat. Mandal identified the voice of the person who called the Prabhudas residence in Rajkot as that of Surendra Jat on Haryana, who is said to be handling Raju’s dealings in India.

While Bhaskar had earlier denied any ransom was paid, the fact that he was released unhurt and reached Rajkot safely gave credence to rumours that ransom was paid, besides which, the kidnappers say they received ransom for his release.