AHMEDABAD: A couple from the Nava Naroda area of the city, who were trying to get to the US unlawfully and fell into the hands of kidnappers, have been released and will reach the city on Wednesday, police said.
Krishnanagar police inspector A J Chauhan said Pankaj and Nisha Patel, both 29, were released by their kidnappers in Tehran, Iran.
Earlier, police said they had been held captive in Hyderabad, from where they were supposed to travel to Iran on June 12.
From Iran, the Patel couple were to go to Dubai and then to Mexico to cross the Trump Wall.
A message from Pankaj’s father Bharat Patel and brother Sanket Patel also went viral on Tuesday, in which they thanked minister of state for home, Harsh Sanghavi, for securing the release of Pankaj and Nisha.
A team of city police, the state home department and central agencies traced Pankaj and Nisha and finally got them released.
After their release, Sanket on Tuesday filed a complaint with Krishnanagar police against an agent from Gandhinagar named Abhay Raval and his aide, Pintu Goswami.
Sanket said that Pankaj was lured by Raval with the promise of getting him settled in the US for which he had demanded Rs 1.40 crore.
When they reached Iran, they were held captive and a ransom of Rs 15 lakh was demanded, Sanket said.
A video showing Pankaj Patel pleading for his relatives to make the payment so that he and his wife could be saved while an unknown man repeatedly slashed his back with a razor blade was sent to a relative of his.
Pankaj’s relatives had paid Rs 13 lakh to the kidnappers, sources in city police said.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.
Start a Conversation
Post comment