Navi Mumbai, Dec 29: A 15-year-old Class X student was kidnapped after he befriended a girl through Instagram and went to meet her at a location sent by her, only to learn later that the profile was fake and operated by four accused who had planned the abduction to extort money.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh, but the boy was rescued safely within 24 hours by Navi Mumbai Police. Four accused have been arrested in connection with the case, police said on Monday.
Minor Lured From Airoli To Kalyan East
According to police, the minor had been in contact with the Instagram profile since December 23, believing it belonged to a girl of his same age from Kalyan.
Acting on messages exchanged over several days, the teenager agreed to meet her and travelled from Airoli to Nandivali village in Kalyan East in a cab that was booked online by the victim boy via his mobile number.
Accused Used Fake Identity To Isolate Victim
“When the boy reached the location, one of the accused told him the girl was his sister and persuaded him to accompany him to a nearby flat,” said Senior Police Inspector Tanaji Bhagat of Crime Branch Unit I.
Four Accused Identified And Arrested
The arrested accused have been identified as Pradipkumar Mayaram Jaiswal (24), a trainer at a motor training school; Vishal Rambahadur Pasi (19), a garage worker; Chandan Vinod Maurya (19), a food delivery agent; and Satyam Shivchand Yadav (19), another garage worker. All four are residents of Kalyan East and natives of Uttar Pradesh, police said.
Ransom Demand Sent To Family Via WhatsApp
Once inside an apartment, the boy was confined, while his relatives received a WhatsApp voice message demanding Rs 20 lakh for his safe release. Police said the main accused, Pradipkumar Jaiswal, had himself fallen victim to a similar online scam a few months earlier and decided to replicate the same modus operandi.
Jaiswal had lost his watch, phone and some money to a similar fake Instagram profile during a ‘meeting’. He then made a plan with the other three boys to replicate the modus and kidnap for ransom.
Police Trace Cab And CCTV Footage
The case was registered at Rabale Police Station on December 28 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on a complaint filed by the boy’s uncle, Minanath Anant Madhvi (55), a sanitation worker and resident of Diva village.
“Taking serious note of the kidnapping, several special teams were formed to trace the minor. CCTV footage showed the boy travelling in a white Maruti Suzuki WagonR, and technical analysis led police to the cab driver, who confirmed that the vehicle had been booked online for travel from Airoli to Nandivali village in Kalyan,” ACP Ajay Landge from the Crime Branch said.
Minor Rescued Unharmed Within 24 Hours
Further scrutiny of CCTV footage from the drop-off point showed four youths escorting the boy into Sai Aradhana Apartment at Rajaram Nagar. A search conducted by Crime Branch Unit–1 led to the rescue of the minor from Room No. 1, where he was found confined along with the accused. He was rescued unharmed and later reunited with his parents.
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Accused Remanded, Probe Continues
The accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded to police custody till December 31. Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused were involved in similar crimes or operated other fake social media profiles. Prima facie, the accused do not seem to have any previous criminal records.
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