Wanted criminal held for kidnapping Bhuj man

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) Delhi Police have arrested a criminal wanted in connection with the kidnapping of a Bhuj resident for ransom, police said on Saturday.

The criminal was arrested on Thursday from Ashram Chowk as he came to meet his associate there.

Police said the accused, Sajid (23), a resident of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, had along with his associates kidnapped Valji Bhai -- a resident of Bhuj in Gujarat.

They called Valji Bhai to Delhi on the pretext of getting him a car at a very low price.

They used several numbers to make phone calls to Valji Bhai, police said.

"Sajid and his associates called Valji Bhai to the New Delhi Railway Station on December 21, 2015 and took him to Palwal on the pretext of showing him the car," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said.

Later, they were joined by the other gang members and kidnapped Valji Bhai on reaching Palwal, Yadav said.

They demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh from the son of Valji Bhai over phone.

The next day, however, they learnt that police were after them and they could be raided soon. They then released Valji Bhai and fled.

The victim returned to his home safely.

In the course of investigation, police arrested five suspects -- Taufiq, Sunny, Mosam, Javed and Saddam, the officer said.

As Sajid and his accomplice Hussain were on the run, a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced on their heads, the officer added.

Police arrested Sajid as he came to meet one of his associates from Mathura to Ashram Chowk in the national capital, he said.

During interrogation, Sajid told police that they would place advertisements in newspapers in Maharashtra and Gujarat for sale of vehicles and scrap material to lure victims. If anyone responded, they would take him to a deserted place and kidnap him.