BENGALURU: Police tracked the mobile phone of the Ola cab driver and his accomplice, who had abducted loco pilot Sonu Kumar Singh in the early hours of Tuesday, and nabbed them in Shivamogga on Wednesday. Singh, who was kidnapped near KIA after his return on a Patna flight, and been taken to Kadur in Chikkamagalur, was on his way back to Bengaluru aboard a Jan Shatabdi train. An FIR was booked at Mahadevapura Police Station on Tuesday against the duo on charges of abduction and they are now in custody of Bengaluru police.
Of the Rs 1.8 lakh the miscreants had robbed from Singh, police found only Rs 1 lakh in cash with them, apart from Singh’s luggage and two mobiles. According to railway sources, Singh managed to escape from Kadur in Chikkamagaluru, and boarded the train to Bengaluru with the help of railway officials. Singh told The New Indian Express, “I reached Mahadevapura police station yesterday and filed my complaint against the cab driver and his friend.
I was asked to accompany the cops in their vehicle to Shivamogga as I was told the accused had been nabbed. We left last night and I identified them, and we returned to Bengaluru today (Wednesday).” Narrating his ordeal, Singh said, “I lost Rs 1.8 lakh.
The money was transferred by my colleagues and my family to my account, after the men tied me up and threatened me.” Repeatedly stating that it was on an Ola app that he booked the cab, Singh said, “I was sent the OTP from Ola, including the car number.
The driver’s name is Manikandan. I boarded the cab at the airport, from the Ola parking bay.” Ola refused to give an official statement, despite repeated requests. Instead of acknowledging such an incident took place involving their driver, the PR personnel instead interrogated this reporter and wanted proof of the FIR. Singh, a native of Bihar who got married in February this year, has been working with Bengaluru Division for the past five years.