Mumbai: Three persons were arrested in Nagaland on Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping a 67-year-old martial arts teacher from Thane. However, the senior citizen himself could not be brought back to Mumbai as he was taken into custody by Nagaland Police on fraud charges related to a bamboo plantation scheme.
Victim Lured With Investment Proposal In Bamboo Cultivation
According to Mumbai police officials, the elderly man, known for conducting martial arts classes and training police personnel, was approached with a lucrative investment proposal in bamboo cultivation in Nagaland. Tempted by the offer, he boarded a flight to Dimapur on May 26.
Two days after his arrival, his son received a chilling phone call claiming that his father had been kidnapped. The caller demanded a ransom of Rs 1.5 crore and threatened to kill the man if the money was not paid. According to an Indian Express repot, the victim’s son made an initial payment of Rs 55,000 and approached the Parksite police station in Vikhroli to report the incident.
Based on his complaint, a kidnapping case was registered and transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. A dedicated team was immediately dispatched to Nagaland to trace the victim and apprehend those responsible. Their investigation led to the identification and arrest of three local residents allegedly involved in the abduction.
Elderly Victim Booked By Nagaland Police For Fraud
However, just as Mumbai police were preparing to rescue the 67-year-old and bring him home, officials from Nagaland Police intervened. It emerged that the man had already been arrested in Dimapur following complaints filed by local residents. They accused him of defrauding them of around Rs 20 lakh under the guise of investment in the very same bamboo plantation venture he was lured into.
According to the report, an official from Nagaland Police confirmed that the arrest was made based on multiple fraud complaints and that the man is now in judicial custody pending further inquiry. Meanwhile, the three accused in the kidnapping case are being brought to Mumbai on transit remand and will face interrogation by the crime branch.
