Four kidnap duo, exhort Rs 2 lakh, arrested within 24 hrs in Chandigarh

Acting swiftly within 24 hours after four men allegedly kidnapped two youths and extorted Rs 2 lakh from them, police arrested the accused from Sector 24 in Chandigarh on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Arun Beniwal, Sanjeev, Gurdeep Singh and Bhanu alias Vicky, all history-sheeters and residents of various colonies in Chandigarh, an investigator said.

Police said they received information around 10:50pm on Wednesday about a quarrel near Valmiki mandir in Sector 24. On reaching the spot, a team of cops spoke to Sooraj, 23, of resident of Sector 9, who claimed that some men just released and his friend Aashish after kidnapping them and extorting cash from them.

Sooraj, a lab technician, shared that he and Aashish, a resident of Burail village, who works at a hotel in Sector 35, were coming from Khuda Lahora in a Chevrolet Optra that they had borrowed from another friend.

As they reached the Sectors 11/12/15/14 roundabout, a grey Maruti Suzuki Swift intercepted them, and abducted them in their car.

“The victims were taken to Sector 24 where the accused forced them give them Rs 2 lakh, that the victims arranged by calling a friend. The accused also snatched Ashish’s wallet containing Rs 5,000 in cash, and then dropped them off in Sector 24 where cops found them,” said Ram Rattan, officiating SHO.

As Sooraj revealed the names that the accused were addressing each other by, the police identified them from their records, and arrested them from Sector 24 on Thursday. The Maruti Swift was also recovered.

The accused have been booked under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323(voluntarily causing hurt), 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 395 (dacoity), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. They will be produced in court on Friday.