Triangular love story that turned into a kidnapping case

Nagpur: The unusual chemistry between a woman, her ex-husband, and a friend led to the spine-chilling kidnapping of Pradeep Motiramani for Rs30 lakh, which kept the cops on the tenterhooks for 18 hours till 3.30pm on Saturday.
Reena Francis, a former school teacher and colleague of Motiramani, played a key role in the love triangle-turned-kidnapping drama. Though Francis’s former husband Noel Murray and his aides freed Motiramani after 18 hours, the kidnapping forced CP Amitesh Kumar and his team to camp at Jaripatka police station from early Saturday morning, following the complaint about the ransom call.
On Sunday, Reena was formally arrested along with her ex-husband Noel Murray and their accomplice, Suraj Falke, for their role in the abduction of Motiramani for Rs30 lakh ransom. The three were produced before the court by Jaripatka police seeking their remand custody. The court sent the three to police custody till September 7.
It’s learnt Reena and Motiramani knew each other since over a decade, before the woman left her job as school teacher to become an event manager. Despite separating from Murray several years ago, Reena had continued to keep in touch with her estranged husband. They also had a specially-abled daughter.
After the kidnapping came to fore, cops had first rounded up Reena. They learnt from her cell phone analysis that she had spoken to her friend Motiramani thrice over the course of the day, and was also talking to Murray simultaneously. The cops were also surprised to learn Murray was staying in a place rented in the name of Reena.
The suspicions of cops from crime branch were further bolstered when Reena initially denied recognizing Murray on being shown CCTV footage of him dragging Motiramani. Later, she admitted having lied during interrogation.
Cops also came across several calls between Reena and Murray, including just before the kidnapping. She and Murray both knew Motiramani was reaching a place near Alexis Hospital at New Mankapur Chowk on Friday.
Police said Murray claimed he just wanted to teach Motiramani a lesson, for being close to his former wife. But the cops are questioning him to find the real motive for making the ransom call to Motiramani's family. Murray had taken Motiramani to his rented house at Godhni, where Reena too was present, said police.