Businessman, friends abducted at gunpoint

GURUGRAM: A businessman and his two friends were abducted by a group of armed men in Manesar on Saturday, when they were out to buy alcohol late at night.

According to police, Sumit Punia, Michael Kathyan and Ishant Sharma were out in the early hours of Saturday looking to buy alcohol in Sector 3 in Manesar. Around 2am, a Ford Endeavour came and stopped next to them. Eight men armed with guns emerged from it and surrounded them. While Punia, the businessman, was taken in his white Audi A6 by three of the kidnappers, Kathyan, also a businessman and son of a retired IAS officer, and Ishant Sharma, also son of an IAS officer posted in Hisar, were taken in the Ford Endeavour by the rest of the kidnappers.

While they were in the car with Punia, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 5 crore from him to release all three. Punia told the kidnappers that he did not have the amount with him, but he had around Rs 5-6 lakh in cash in his factory in Sector 6 of Manesar, which he could give them. The kidnappers relented and Punia, along with three kidnappers, arrived at his factory, while Kathyan and Ishant were still held hostage in the SUV, which was tailing Punia's car.

Once inside the factory, Punia managed to indicate the guards about the situation, who promptly informed police control room. On realising that police had been informed, the kidnappers left Punia in the factory and fled with his Audi.

Kathyan and Ishant were dropped off at Jhajjar bypass, where the kidnappers also abandoned Punia's Audi. According to Kathyan and Ishant, the car was running out of fuel so the kidnappers had no option.

Inspector Narender Kumar of IMT Manesar police station said they managed to recover the Audi and also picked up Kathyan and Ishant from Jhajjar.

An FIR has been registered at the police station, as per the complaint filed by Punia, under sections 395 (punishment for dacoity), 397 (robbery with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 364A (kidnapping for ransom) of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.

"We are yet to make any arrests and are trying to identify the men from CCTV footage. The victims will also be brought in to identify the accused," said inspector Kumar, the investigating officer. "It appears that the accused have criminal background." According to Kumar, there is possibility of involvement of a known gang.