Ex-IAF airman’s son arrested for kidnapping man

New Delhi: The Delhi police crime branch sleuths thwarted a ransom bid of Rs 2 crore in connection with the kidnapping case of a Haryana-based businessman and have arrested two persons, including the son of an ex-Indian Air Force airman.

The two accused, Manjeet Singh Grewal and Vijay Kumar, were arrested Tuesday 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 under huge debt. “To overcome their financial restraints, they planned to abduct the complainant. They were aware about the sound financial position of the complainant and were sure that he would shell out the ransom amount without involving the police,” Mr Verma said.

On March 28, a Haryana-based businessman approached the crime branch 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 helping him in getting a road tender in National Highways Authority of India.

“Relying on Grewal, the complainant and his partner came to Delhi and met Grewal and his associate Vijay. “The accused brought the businessmen duo to a hotel on the pretext of meeting with an officer of NHAI,” said the officer. The accused then 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, but the accused threatened him that his partner would be killed if he informed the police,” he said.