How 40 cops tracked Gurugram doctor’s abductors in 5 days

It was a matter of chance that members of the Joginder Panchi Jatan gang, who usually stuck to snatching and kidnapping people for stealing cash and cars, got to know that their latest target hailed from an affluent family and could pay ransom. However, what made them demand a fat sum for his release was a voice message, allegedly from Gurugram-based Kaushal Gang, demanding “protection money”.

On March 16, the gang had abducted a doctor from Sector 29 in the city. They took him to Delhi’s Nehru Place to withdraw money using his ATM card when they realised they had hit the proverbial jackpot.

“The gang members got the idea to demand a ransom amount for the doctor’s release when they saw the bank alert on victim’s mobile phone after withdrawing ₹30,000 from his account. The gang members said that this is when they realised that a big fish had landed in their net who could pay more,” STF deputy inspector general Satheesh Balan said.

Police added that the victim, during his captivity, had also revealed that his family had been on the radar of the Kaushal gang. His abductors then scanned his phone and found an audio clip in which an alleged gangster is heard demanding ₹50 lakh from the victim’s father, threatening him of dire consequences if the police was involved. “Joginder took advantage of the situation and demand ₹55 lakh from the victim’s father,” Balan said.

Also Read | MMA fighter abducts doctor to fund movie dream

The police that said the gang then called the victim’s father, also a doctor who owns and runs two hospitals, one in Rewari and the other in Gurugram. The father agreed to pay the sum without negotiating, which was unusual for the gang members.

The police said that around 2am on March 17, the suspects called the victim’s father, who was shocked to hear about the abduction, but readily agreed to pay the ransom amount. Although the victim’s father informed the police of the abduction and demand for ransom, he refused to get the law enforcement agencies involved as he feared for his son’s safety, the police said.

At 11pm on March 17, the father met the gangsters somewhere on GT Road near Kundli in Sonipat and gave the money, after which the victim was released.

Also Read | Gurugram doctor kidnapping: MMA fighter, 5 other athletes took to crime for easy money

Meanwhile, the Gurugram police activated its special task force (STF), which formed six teams consisting of 40 personnel to crack the case, and quickly ruled out the involvement of Kaushal gang.

“We started interrogating the Kaushal gang members who are in custody and our informers and ruled out their involvement. We used technical surveillance to get details of Joginder Panchi gang which was also known to be involved in such cases,” STF inspector general of police KK Rao said.

“The teams worked round-the-clock. This was a blind case. It took us five days to crack the case. Our teams received a tip-off that four criminals are planning to rob a car near Dharuhera in Rewari, and that they were the same people who had kidnapped the doctor,” Rao said.

Four STF teams surrounded the area and after engaging the suspects in a cross fire for half-an-hour, they arrested four suspects involved in the case. “Five rounds were fired from both sides and four pistols—(.32) bore, one country-made pistol (9mm), 10 live cartridges, two cars and ₹49.70 lakh—were recovered from their possession,” Rao said.

Rao said another team, which had left for Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, brought gang member and MMA fighter Amitesh Chaubey to Gurugram for interrogation. “Initially, he denied his involvement and said he was aware of the case, but had no role in it. On Thursday, he confessed to the crime and Civil Lines police arrested him,” he said.

The teams involved in the investigation will be rewarded, said police.

A case was registered in the Dharuhera police station under sections 307, 186, 353 and 34 of the Indian Penal code and relevant sections of the Arms Act.