Indians in UAE accused of being bogus cops

Three Indian men in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been accused of posing as police officers, raiding a house and kidnapping two of its inhabitants for ransom.

A court in Dubai heard Tuesday that a group of men, including the three - identified by their initials FK, 23, IB, 29, and WB, 29, - had raided a house in the Hor Al Anz locality in Dubai Dec 11 last year claiming to be looking for a man who had swindled them in a car deal, The National reported.

"I asked to have a look at the ID card but they slapped me instead," one of the victims, identified as BM, a clerk from Pakistan, was quoted as saying.

"They asked me about a person named Ali, an Indian, and told me they gave him money for a car and that he disappeared. They claimed I knew his whereabouts and said I must go with them to Ras Al Khaimah."

According to him, the trio took him to their car outside and then returned to the house to take another man, WB, a salesman from Pakistan.

The two were then driven to an old house in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and kept locked there.

The hostages managed to convince the kidnappers to allow them to contact another man, a painter, also from Pakistan.

On the hostages' request, the painter, identified as BA, handed over 4,000 dirhams to the kidnappers.

However, BA got another call from the men seeking 24,000 dirhams more.

At this point, he contacted police who then gave him the required sum of money and advised him to meet the kidnappers to hand over the amount.

One of the kidnappers was arrested immediately after taking the money. The other two men then handed themselves over to police.

The other men involved in the incident are yet to be apprehended.

The court has adjourned the case till June 25.