3 gangsters wanted in kidnapping case arrested after brief shootout

Three gangsters involved in a kidnapping case were arrested here after a brief shootout, police said on Thursday.

A special police team arrested Manjeet Dabas, 32, Arshu Shokeen, 30, and Bhagat, 30, involved in the kidnapping of a 20-year-old son of an ex-councillor of outer Dehi area in September 2016.

Police had earlier announced a cash reward of Rs one lakh for the arrest of Dabas and Rs 50,000 each for Shokeen and Bhagat.

Special Cell Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said Shokeen was arrested from Jhajjar in Haryana late Wednesday evening. He was taken to Delhi and interrogated, during which he told police that his two accomplices Dabas and Bhagat will visit Darwka's Sector 23 late in the night to meet him, following which they too were arrested.

Police investigation revealed that Dabas and accomplice Mahesh Thekedar were the kingpin of the kidnap conspiracy, the officer said.

The victim was signalled to stop by one of the accused wearing a traffic policeman's uniform and another in khaki. As the victim stopped his car, an SUV arrived at the spot and the victim was bundled into it and whisked away.

The victim was taken to Sirsa in Haryana and then to Navalgarh in Rajasthan and Hansi in Haryana.

After the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 50 crore, the ex-councillor paid Rs one crore and promised another Rs one crore after the safe release of his son.

The victim was released in Gurugram on October 3, 2016.

Later, the case was transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch.

--IANS

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