By IANS,
New Delhi : Five men and women with no criminal background but fed up of their menial jobs decided to kidnap the 18-month-old son of a south Delhi businessman for ransom. But the long arms of law caught up after one of them spilled the beans, police said Wednesday, revealing the saga of toddler Ishaan’s abduction and rescue.
Ishaan, who had gone missing with his maid Seema Sunday, was rescued by Delhi Police at about 11 p.m. Tuesday from the capital’s adjoining suburb Faridabad, Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta told reporters in the presence of the child and the joyous parents and grandparents.
Four of the accused – Krishna Dev Kumar, Ashok Keeru, the maid Savita Kerketa alias Seema and Anu Ara Begum – have been arrested while a fifth, Pratima, is still at large. They were planning to demand a ransom of around Rs.2 crore, said police.
Kumar hails from Bihar while Kerketa, Pratima and Keeru are from Orissa and Anu Ara is from West Bengal, said police. Pratima was also engaged to Keeru.
“All the accused were working in Maharani Bagh area and had no criminal background,” Gupta said.
“The idea was that they had had enough of menial jobs and wanted a big catch to lead comfortable lives,” Gupta added.
According to Gupta, Pratima became a suspect when she fled to her village just four days before the incident. Police got hold of his fiance, Keeru, who spilled the beans after sustained interrogation and led them to Kumar.
“The accused had dressed the child like a girl to escape the eyes of police and people and had kept Ishaan in a hideout in Sarai Kale Khan area of south Delhi till Monday. They changed the location to Faridabad as news of the kidnapping spread,” said Gupta.
“They had planned to keep the child for a month or so and ask for ransom at least 15 days after the kidnapping. They planned to demand around Rs.2 crore,” Gupta said.
Delhi Police had formed 15 teams, including one from the Crime Branch, and sent them various parts of the country in search of the boy.
The son of businessman Vikram Singh, who owns a showroom in Khan Market, Ishaan went missing Sunday after maid Seema took him to a nearby park and never returned. The family had not got police verification done for the maid.
“The maid took the baby to the park where Keeru was waiting with a car,” said Gupta.
A reward of Rs.50,000 was also announced for giving a tip-off.