5 held for taking Rs 14.3L ransom

5 held for taking Rs 14.3L ransom

PUNE: Officials of Crime Branch Unit 5 of Pune city police, on Friday, arrested five persons, including the driver of a manager of a construction company, for abducting him and taking Rs 14 lakh as ransom.

Meanwhile, two policemen, who had intercepted the vehicle, but allowed them to go after taking Rs 2.4 lakh, have been dismissed.

The incident took place on May 22 when four people on bikes forced the manager into his car at gunpoint. He was coming back from office in Wanowrie. They forced him and his driver to sit back and drove around the city for seven hours. They took him to Pune station and Katraj ghat before releasing him in Bavdhan after taking the ransom amount.

The arrested persons have been identified as Vijay Srihari Navghane (26), who was the driver of the manager from last 18 months, and Navghane’s friends Uttam Maruti Bhave (28), Gautam Vasant Kamble (32), Pradip Chandrakant Wagh (30) and Vishal Kailash Shelar (34). They belong to Gorhe Khurd, Khamgaon Maval and Khanapur areas. 

ACP (Crime II) Bhanupratap Barge said, “The abductors told the manager to call his wife and friends and ask them for money. They demanded Rs 14.3 lakh at Ambegaon, Katraj. While waiting at the Katraj chowk, two beat marshals of Bharti Vidyapeeth police checked the car, as they were on their regular checking rounds. They found the cash and without inquiring about the money, they demanded Rs 2.4 lakh. The abductors gave them the money, but during the investigation, both the beat marshals’ role came to light and they have been dismissed now.”

Police have recovered Rs 6.92 lakh cash from the accused and seized two bikes.

Acting on a tip-off received by policemen Bharat Ransing and Mahesh Waghmare, police had first arrested the driver.

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