Cops suspect Mewati gang's hand in kidnap

GURUGRAM: The drama unfolded along the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, also known as KMP Expressway. Two Sohna-based businessmen — a jeweller and a cloth merchant — were kidnapped from Tauru in Mewat on Monday afternoon, and taken to UP in a black Toyota Etios. Police suspect the role of a Mewati gang behind kidnapping.

The victims, along with the kidnappers, were captured on CCTV at Luharali toll plaza in Dadri. Police gave the car a chase after being alerted by toll officials, at which, the accused abandoned the vehicle, along with their victims, near Bilsuri village in Bulandshahr sometime in the evening, and fled.

Siddarth Jain, jeweller, and Praveen Garg, cloth merchant, were taken to Nuh court on Tuesday to record their statements, and later to Civil Hospital for a medical check-up. Both sustained injuries after being hit by an iron rod. As they had been kidnapped from Tauru, the FIR was also registered in Tauru police station. Jain and Garg are partners in their other business, money-lending. They give loans against mortgage, mostly to other businessmen.

On Monday Jain received a call from Gaurav and Hari, both Tauru-based money-lenders with whom Jain and Garg had business dealings for the over a year, asking him to to visit Tauru with Garg for some business. Assuming it to be a regular business call, the duo left Sohna for Tauru at 2pm in Siddarth’s black Etios sedan. “As soon as they reached Tauru, around 3pm, Gaurav, Hari and four others took them hostage at gunpoint near a warehouse on the outskirts of Tauru, and thrashed them,” said Rakesh Jain, father-in-law of Siddarth, adding that Hari left for Sohna soon after. Rakesh Jain, resident of Firozpur Jhirka in Mewat, was the one who had registered an FIR against Gaurav and Hari at Tauru police station on Monday night.

Hari had gone to Siddarth’s jewellery shop in Sohna. Once he reached the shop, he made Siddarth’s employee Surjeet speak to Siddarth over the phone, and accepted a bag full of cash. He later also collected another bag full of cash from Garg’s home, after making his family talk to Garg over the phone. “All this happened between 4-5pm,” said Rakesh.

Meanwhile, Siddarth and Praveen were driven in their car towards Uttar Pradesh on the KMP Expressway by Gaurav and the others. The kidnappers made a further demand for Rs 1 crore each from the two business partners, threatening to kill them if they refused.

“Around 6pm, they reached Luharali toll plaza in Dadri, where the car stopped behind a bus. CCTV footage shows a person emerging from the bus to pay the toll amount. Taking advantage of the fact that the kidnap vehicle was forced to wait, Siddarth started banging the car door nearest to him repeatedly with his feet, which alerted toll staff. “Toll staff thought it was a case of sexual violence against some woman, and immediately alerted UP Police with the vehicle’s registration number. When the cops gave them the chase, the kidnappers, fearing arrest, abandoned the vehicle with their victims near Bilsuri in Bulandshahr and fled,” said Rakesh.

Later on, Siddarth called his wife to inform that the bags of cash collected from his shop and Garg’s home were ransom money, and that they had been forced to make the calls at gunpoint.

An official at Tauru police station said a case has been registered under Section 364A (kidnapping for ransom) and 34 (common intention) of IPC. “We’re investigating the case,” said police officer, adding they believe a Mewati gang is behind kidnapping.