Seven held for kidnap, extortion in Hyderabad

The Punjagutta police solved the kidnap and extortion case of B.V.Muralikrishna, which was reported in the last week of January and arrested seven persons including his brother-in-law Rajesh in connection with the case.

Hyderabad: The Punjagutta police solved the kidnap and extortion case of B.V.Muralikrishna, which was reported in the last week of January and arrested seven persons including his brother-in-law Rajesh in connection with the case. A financial dispute led to the kidnap, police said.

The arrested persons are Rajesh, Raghavendra, Jeevan Kumar, Abdul Salim, P.Laxmaiah, Krishna Gopal and Srinivas. Another suspect Vasu is absconding.

On January 27, Muralikrishna, who was travelling in a car on Lal Bungalow Road in Ameerpet, was intercepted by the suspects in an Innova car posing as I-T officials. They forcibly took Muralikrishna in his car to Batasingaram near Ramoji Film City on the pretext of I-T dues.

“They threatened to release him only if he paid Rs.30 lakh. The money was brought by his brother-in-law Rajesh and handed it over to the other suspects,” said Mohan Kumar, ACP Punjagutta.

Muralikrishna, who reached the city after being left at the Outer Ring Road, approached the Punjagutta police only on February 4. “A case was booked and the CCTV footage and mobile phone signals were analysed which linked to Rajesh. He was taken into custody and based on his confession, others were arrested from Vijayawada,” the ACP said.

Cash of Rs.15 lakh, a car, a bike and seven phones were seized.