Pune police successfully rescued a businessman who was kidnapped and held for a Rs 50 lakh ransom, leading to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of weapons and a vehicle.
Police in Pune's Pimpri Chinchwad area have arrested five persons for allegedly kidnapping a businessman and demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused, all hailing from Uttar Pradesh, allegedly abducted the businessman from Rahatani area on Monday and fled in a sports utility vehicle (SUV), police said.
After receiving information about the abduction, the victim's family alerted the police, following which multiple teams were formed to trace the kidnappers.
The accused called his family members and demanded Rs 50 lakh, threatening to kill him if their demand was not met. They also asked the family to reach Ale Phata on the Pune-Ahilyanagar border to hand over the ransom.
"Based on technical inputs, we learnt that the kidnappers were heading towards Uttar Pradesh in an SUV. Accordingly, teams laid a trap near Ale Phata and alerted the Ahilyanagar police," an official from Pimpri Chinchwad police said.
Subsequently, a trap was also laid near Sangamner in Ahilyanagar district.
The accused later dropped the businessman near Chandanapuri Ghat in Ahilyanagar district, apparently after developing cold feet, the official said.
A team of Ahilyanagar police intercepted and arrested the five accused near the Sangamner toll plaza on Monday evening, while the businessman was rescued safely.
Police said a sixth person, identified as Santan Chauhan, a native of Uttar Pradesh who had earlier worked with the businessman, had allegedly tipped off the kidnappers.
Two country-made firearms, six live rounds and a car, collectively worth around Rs 18 lakh, were seized from the accused.
Further investigation is underway, police added.