BENGALURU: The Kumbalgod police have arrested five men in connection with a kidnapping case and one of the accused is the victim’s brother-in law. Investigations have revealed that an advocate also played a key role in the kidnapping. The accused have been identified as Chethan Kumar, 31, a resident of Lakkasandra in Kasaba hobli of Ramanagar district, Abhi alias Avinash, 21, of Ramanagar town, Keerthi Gowda, 26, of Kootagal of Ramanagar taluk, Rakesh, 24, of Bannikuppe, and Kiran, 24, of Ramanagar District Hospital Quarters.
Chethan runs a mobile phone shop, while Kiran works as a process server in Ramanagar District Court. Praveen, 27, an advocate and a resident of Padarahalli in Ramanagar, has been absconding and efforts are on to trace him, the police said. Around 6.30 pm on Thursday, Girish, a resident of Bheemanakuppe near Challaghatta in Kengeri hobli, was kidnapped in a car. Girish, who has completed mechanical engineering, is looking after his family business.
The kidnappers contacted his father Muddanna, a retired government official, using Girish’s mobile phone and demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh. Muddanna approached the police, who traced the mobile phone location to Kottagalu near Harohalli in Kanakapura. By the time the police reached the spot over the next few hours, the abductors freed Girish and escaped.
“Once he was released, the accused were traced with the help of their mobile phone signals. Further analysis established that the accused were in constant touch with Chethan, the husband of Girish’s younger sister. On suspicion, Chethan was picked up for interrogation and he confessed to the crime. He revealed that he along with his advocate friend, Praveen, had hatched a plot to kidnap Girish, as both were in need of money. But he said that he was not present at the spot when the kidnapping took place. Later he pretended to be worried with his brother-in-law’s safety. Girish was kidnapped in a Santro car that belongs to advocate Praveen,” the police said.
