The Thai police on Tuesday arrested five Indian men in Bangkok for allegedly kidnapping three compatriots for ransom in Pattaya.
The accused lured the three men from India to Thailand with the promise of a cheap holiday package, held them hostage for a week and demanded a combined Rs 70 lakh cryptocurrency ransom from their families, multiple reports said.
The accused were acting on the instructions of a Pakistani man who is believed to be based in Dubai. The Pakistani man allegedly planned the kidnapping and wanted the ransom to be paid in cryptocurrency.
According to CNBC TV18 website, each reportedly paid around 70,000 baht (around Rs 2 lakh) for the tour.
The arrested accused have been identified as Avtar Singh (38), Jagjit Singh (38), Rambalak Kumar (24), Sukhbir Singh (37) and Kulra Singh (27).
They were arrested at a hotel in Bangkok's Khlong Tan area while allegedly preparing to leave Thailand.
The Bangkok Post quoting police said the five Indians were arrested at a hotel in Khlong Tan area of Bangkok as they were waiting for their outbound flight.
The case came to light after the Indian Embassy in Thailand alerted local police on July 21 following complaints from the victims' families.
The family members reportedly shared video call recordings that allegedly showed the victims with their hands and feet tied as the kidnappers demanded the ransom.
Police then raided a two-storey house in Pattaya on Monday and rescued the three kidnapped Indian men. The victims, identified as Mohit (23), Ashish (24) and Himanshu (20), were found on the first floor of the house. Police said they were tied up, gagged and had visible injuries, CNBC TV18 report added.
The rescued men also told police that they were not the first victims. According to their statements, another Indian national had earlier been held captive at the same house and was released only after his family allegedly paid around Rs 30 lakh as ransom.