CHENNAI: A 45-year-old pawn broker and a real estate agent from Kanathur off East Coast Road in Chennai along with his broker-friend was rescued from his abductors who held him for ransom in Maharashtra. A special team from Chennai police, in coordination with the Maharashtra cops, rescued the realtor and arrested seven persons including one of his acquaintance. The businessman, Sohan Lal, and his friend, Sasi Kumar were brought to the city on Tuesday, police sources said.
On May 10, Sohan Lal and Sasi Kumar had left the city to meet 'potential customers' in the real estate business at the drought hit Latur district in Maharashtra.
A day later, Sohan Lal's father Mangal Ram received a call from his son informing him about the abductors demanding Rs.30 lakh to release him. Mangal Ram approached the City Police Commissioner after which an action plan was devised.
Investigations revealed that Sohan Lal was approached over phone by his acquaintance, Appu samy (50), a priest and a Sthapathi (temple architect) based in Mumbai. Appu Samy's family resides in Kanathur and he had told Sohan Lal that a godman was seeking to invest in real estate and asked the latter to look for about 50 acre land off East Coast Road.
Sohan Lal along with Sasi Kumar, a broker, earmarked the area and got back to Appusamy after which he requested them to come to Maharashtra to finalize the deal. "He had claimed that the godman's schedule couldn't allow him to travel and believing him, the duo travelled to Latur on May 10," a police officer said.
Upon reaching there, they were made to meet Kishan Murare, the mastermind of the kidnap. The duo were taken to an abandoned bungalow and were tied up under gunpoint.
The special team, acting with the Maharashtra police, went in the guise of a relative of the victim with the money. The abductors were held after a brief chase on the Latur Highway when they tried to escape, according to a police officer.