Two held for abducting businessman, demanding Rs 2 cr ransom

Two persons, including the son of an ex-Indian Air Force airman, have been arrested for allegedly holding a businessman captive and demanding Rs 2 crore as ransom for his release, police said today.
The two accused, Manjeet Singh Grewal and Vijay Kumar, were arrested last night from a hotel in central Delhi's Karol Bagh area, said DCP (crime) Madhur Verma.
The accused have been in the property business for the last 15-20 years. However, they had suffered huge losses in business in the last four-five years and were reeling under huge debt.
"They were fond of lavish lifestyle, but due to money crisis, they were facing acute problems in fulfilling their daily needs.

"To overcome their financial restraints, they planned to abduct the businessman. They were aware about his sound financial position and were sure that he would shell out the ransom amount without involving police," said Verma.
A Haryana-based businessman approached the Crime Branch yesterday with a complaint that his fellow businessman was being held captive by the two accused.

The complainant, who is engaged in road construction business, knew Grewal through a common friend. For the last few days, Grewal was contacting him for help in getting a road tender in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
"Relying on Grewal, the complainant along with his business partner came to Delhi and met Grewal and his associate Vijay.

"The accused brought the businessmen duo to a hotel on the pretext of a meeting with an officer of NHAI," said the officer.
The accused allegedly held them captive and demanded Rs 2 crore as ransom and threatened them.
"The complainant requested the accused that if they release him, he would bring the ransom amount. He was released with the threat that if he did anything untoward, his partner would be killed," he said.
He tried to arrange the ransom amount. Later, when he could not arrange it, he contacted police.
A team led by ACP Sanjay Sehrawat was constituted and after a brief scuffle, the two accused were nabbed and the captive businessman rescued.

A revolver with 11 live cartridges, made in ordinance factory, Kanpur and issued in the name of one Sunil, Grewal's brother-in-law, has also been recovered along with a car.
Vijay's father had retired as an airman from the Indian Air Force, said another officer.