Jogbani jeweller gets ransom calls

Forbesganj: Ransom calls to a jeweller on the border town of Jogbani under Forbesganj sub-division in Araria district alongside Bihar-Nepal border from Nepal side has caused a flutter among the traders here.
Ratan Sah, owner of Ratan Jeweller's shop at Jogbani, in an FIR lodged with the Jogbani police station on Monday has alleged that he got a call on his cell-phone No 8031680702 from Nepal-based cell phone no.9815305654, demanding a ransom of Rs 5 lakh a few days back. Though the caller made some more calls, he preferred not to take them.
An SMS also landed on his cell phone repeating the ransom demand. The message also contained a threat to explode a bomb at his jewellery outlet at Jogbani, if he did not pay the amount, police said.
Jogbani SHO TP Singh, talking to TOI on Tuesday, said the jeweller, Ratan Sah, had gone through similar ordeal in the month of June this year. He had then sent one of his regular staff Shanker Soni with money to pay to the shoppers at Biratnagar in Nepal.
A 'rangdari' call was made to him, saying his staff Soni had been kidnapped. The Nepal police, however, smelt the rat, and came across evidence, pointing the accusing finger at his staff, the SHO said. Soni, who was arrested by the Nepal police, was remanded to jail in Nepal. He was later released on bail, SHO Singh said.
"We are again trying to get in touch with our Nepal counterparts," Forbesganj SDPO Raj Kumar Sah told TOI.