Representative Image showing a kidnapped person.
Credit: iStock Photo
Gonda: A businessman, who his family feared had been abducted for a ransom of Rs 60 lakh, had allegedly faked his kidnapping to repay a loan, police said on Saturday.
According to police, Arjun Kumar (35), a flower trader from Basehiya village, reached Colonelganj market on Wednesday evening but did not return home.
His family registered a missing person's complaint and teams were deployed to look for him. On Thursday, Kumar's brother Rakesh received a call claiming to have kidnapped the businessman and demanded a ransom of Rs 60 lakh, the police said.
Gonda Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Jaiswal on Saturday said, " Arjun Kumar was caught by our team in Haridwar where he had fled to stage his kidnapping." Kumar told police he had taken a loan of Rs 31 Lakh without informing his family members. He was unable to pay the loan after suffering losses in the business.
"Arjun Kumar staged his kidnapping, hoping that his family members would arrange the ransom, which he would then use to pay his loan. The police will take action against him for this act," said the SP.