PUDUCHERRY: Police arrested four persons in connection with the abduction of a private company employee, V Udayakumar of Sanniayasikuppam, here on Tuesday. Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Dr V J Chandran, IPS told reporters that the arrested persons were Syrilnathan, Mohammed Ali, Madhan, Vimaldas, all residents of Chennai.
Fearing arrests following swift police action, the abductors released Udayakumar at Valajabad Park in Chennai at midnight along with his car. Police registered a case under Section 364 A (Kidnapping for ransom) and Section 365 (Kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine person).
Dr Chandran explained that the accused, posing as officers of Income Tax, Chennai, waylaid Udayakumar near Arriyapalayam around 10.30 am on Monday. They told him that he had accumulated a lot of unaccounted wealth from illegal sources and they have to take him to Chennai IT office for interrogation. He was made to sit in his own car driven by one of the accused and was taken to Chennai. The vehicle was stopped near the IT office, Chennai and two of the accused went into the office while Udayakumar was made to wait in the car.
The other accused persons persuaded him to negotiate with them, so that no case will be registered against him. Udayakumar was then taken to a secluded place in Chennai. Meanwhile, Udayakumar’s brother Rajkumar filed a complaint with the Villianur police, who swung into action. Police formed special teams led by circle inspectors Ranganathan, Ganesh and Station House Officer Sajith.
Dr Chandran said, from the CCTV footages police confirmed the registration numbers of the abductors’ vehicle and approached Tamil Nadu registration department for details of the owner. After obtaining the telephone numbers, driver of the Innova car, Mohammed Ali, was contacted. Ali told the police team that he has been hired by the IT department officials and they have brought Udayakumar to Chennai.
On cross-checking with the IT department, it was learnt that no IT raid was conducted in Puducherry. Then it was confirmed that the accused were imposters and they abducted Udayakumar, Dr Chandran said.
The police teams then tracked driver Ali’s house at Mogappair and questioned the inmates. Coming under pressure and realising that he was in trouble, Ali persuaded the other gang members to release the victim.
