Balangir: In an interesting turn of events, police have arrested a wom an sub-inspector and a media representative in connection with the alleged kidnapping and blackmailing of Balangir businessman Narendra alias Gunda Sahu, who was abducted and allegedly forced to pose as the kidnapper as part of a plan to extort money from him.
Balangir Superintendent of Police Abilash G. said at a press conference Monday that the businessman was abducted August 14 while he was on his way to inspect a piece of land near Randa village under Puintala police station. According to the police, a group of six to seven people allegedly intercepted Sahu and forcibly took him to Bhubaneswar in an SUV at the direction of the alleged master mind, Kshitish Chandra Sahu. The businessman was allegedly confined and assaulted at a hotel in Khandagiri area. Police said the accused forced Sahu to hold a firearm and recorded videos portraying him as a kidnapper. He was also allegedly made to say in a video that he would return Rs 2.7 crore he had previously taken in connection with a transaction involving Hanuman coins.
The videos were then allegedly used to blackmail him. The kidnappers initially demanded Rs 10 crore for his release. After Sahu said he could not pay the amount, the demand was allegedly reduced to Rs 1 crore and subsequently to Rs 50 lakh. Police said the accused forced him to sign an agreement accepting the Rs 50 lakh payment. The accused then allegedly took Sahu to Khandagiri police station, where sub-inspector Snehamanjari Sahu and media representative Sanjay Jena allegedly presented themselves as police officers. They allegedly showed a photograph of Sahu holding a firearm to a police officer and threatened Narendra that a case would be registered against him unless he reached a settlement with Kshitish for Rs 50 lakh. A police operation foiled the alleged extortion attempt. A Balangir police team, using technical surveillance, reached Khandagiri police station, rescued Sahu and arrested Kshitish, police said. Snehamanjari Sahu, who was posted as a sub-inspector in Bhubaneswar, is the sister of Kshitish, according to the SP. Jena and Snehamanjari were arrested in the case Monday.
Kshitish and another accused, Sanjit Behera of Tulsinagar in Balangir, had been arrested Sunday. All four arrested accused were produced before the SDJM court Monday. Their bail pleas were rejected, and they were sent to the district jail, police said. Six other accused remain at large. Five of them are allegedly professional criminals from Bhubaneswar, while another is from Balangir. Joint teams of Balangir and Bhubaneswar police are conducting raids to trace the absconding suspects. Police said further investigation is underway and the remaining accused are expected to be arrested soon.
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