Kidnappers take ransom in cheque!

AHMEDABAD: The abduction of city-based builder Rajni Patel, 60, a partner of Galaxy Group of Builders, which was foiled by Ahmedabad crime branch on Wednesday has thrown up a surprising nugget. The kidnappers took the ransom money in "white" a in cheque!
Ahmedabad crime branch officials said the six accused in the kidnapping which includes a class 10 student had demanded Rs 5 crore as ranson to safely release Rajni Patel. Crime branch officials said while negotiating the ransom money, Patel's family urged that they had only Rs 50 lakh.

"The kidnappers then agreed to take Rs 50 lakh cash and forced Patel to write them three blank cheques of the remaining Rs 4.5 crore as he was carrying the cheque book with him," said a top crime branch official.

While city crime branch arrested two more persons, including a 15-year-old class X student, for the kidnapping of city-based builder Rajni Patel, the fact that the accused made Patel sign three blank cheques for the ransom elicited laughter all round. One cop joked that this was the first time that kidnappers chose to receive ransom money in ‘white’ money.

Patel, 60, a partner in Galaxy Group builders, was kidnapped in his own car on Wednesday from near the Hansapura Road on the Naroda-Dehgam highway. The kidnappers used Patel’s phone to demand the ransom from his family. On instructions from the police, members of Patel’s family kept the kidnappers involved in negotiations for as long as possible while the phone’s location was being tracked. The kidnappers kept driving for the six hours that Patel was held captive and they reached as far as Mount Abu in Sirohi district of Rajasthan. During these negotiations, a deal was struck that Rs 50 lakh would be paid in cash, apart from the cheques that they had got Patel to sign.

Police rescued Patel when the kidnappers were driving back, at the Amirgadh check post in Banaskantha. Those arrested there were Aniket Pal (19), Bhupat Rabari (20), Shreekrishna Tomar (20) and Anand Tomar (22).

“Two other persons involved, Aakash Pal (18) and a 15-year-old boy, were arrested on Thursday,” said additional DCP Rajdeepsinh Jhala.

Jhala said three of the six accused are students. “The kidnapping was ‘masterminded’ by Aniket Pal, a resident of Gayatri Green housing society, which had been developed by Patel. Pal recently dropped out of his BSc course after finishing his second year. Bhupat Rabari, a resident of Banaskantha district, is currently in the second year of his BSc course.

“The 15-year-old accused is a class X student and lives in the same area. We will proceed against him according to the Juvenile Justice Act,” Jhala said.

Jhala said the rescue operation involved coordination between local police and crime branch officials. “Inspector Kiran Chaudhary kept watch at the Amirgadh check post, Inspector B P Roziya watched the movement of Aakash Pal and the minor, who were supposed to receive the Rs 50 lakh cash in Ahmedabad,” said Jhala.