Kidnapped? Your friend or relative may be behind it, say cops

If your kin is kidnapped in the national capital, don't rush to blame criminal gangs.
The accused could be your close friend, a relative or a business associate looking for some easy money.

This is what the statistics related to kidnapping for ransom cases in the city this year shows.

Out of 17 of the total 24 cases reported this year, the arrested were novices and those known to the victims. Two cases are yet to be worked out, while police are in the process of withdrawing five cases as they do not fall in the category of kidnapping.

Police vehemently deny that there is a criminal gang involved in these kidnappings.

"An analysis of these cases has shown that there is no criminal gang involved. In all the 17 cases where arrests were made, the accused was previously known to the victim," a senior police official said.

Out of the 17 cases worked out, seven were committed by friends or known persons while employees or ex-employees were involved in six cases. In four cases, the accused were relatives, the official said.

The latest of the kidnapping for ransom case was reported from west Delhi where three men were arrested for abducting an 11-year-old boy for a ransom of Rs three lakh. One of the accused worked as a driver of the victim's father.

Earlier, two persons allegedly abducted a copper wire dealer with whom one of the accused had business transactions and demanded a ransom of Rs2 crore. The accused were arrested and Rs1.38 crore was recovered.

In another case, a class XII student, Ribu Chawla, was kidnapped by a person whom he had befriended at a local gymnasium for a ransom of Rs15 lakh.

Later fearing arrest, the 'friend' and his three associates allegedly killed him.