Man 'kidnaps' son to extract money from grandfather

LUCKNOW: A man allegedly kidnapped his own son to extract ransom from his father here.

Lucknow Inspector General of Police Arvind Jain told a press conference here Saturday: "Mohammad Shaad, 12, was reported kidnapped Friday evening."

He said: "The report was lodged by the child's father Mohammad Fasih. He claimed that his father Mohammad Rafi Siddiqui, a former Congress MLA, had received a ransom call for Rs.750,000."

Jain was not convinced by Fasih's version.

"Once we tracked down the two calls made to the child's grandfather, the true picture began to emerge. Eventually by about 2.30 a.m. we were able to reach Shaad, who had been kept in a resort on the city's outskirts," said Jain.

Jain said: "The poor child did not have any idea that he was kidnapped. The child's father Fasih had used his friend Noor Alam's wife Sultana and her sister Rehana to give Shaad the impression that they were taking him for an outing."  With Shaad's mother being away in Mumbai, the plan became easier to execute.

As soon as Sultana and Rehana were caught, they spilled the beans, following which Shaad's father Fasih was taken into custody, Jain said.

"Eventually Fasih confessed that he had staged the drama to extract money from his affluent father, who he alleged had deprived him (Fasih) of the legitimate inheritance in the family business," Jain pointed out.

While Fasih has been booked for 'kidnapping for ransom' along with Sultana and Rehana, police are on the look out for Sultana's husband, Noor Alam, who is alleged to be another key party in the crime.