Pune: Kidnapping goes downhill from Rs 20-cr demand to Rs 15L to jail

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The Pune police's crime branch has caught three kidnappers, including an externed goon, who may just be the worst bargainers the cops have ever seen. The trio abducted the son of a wealthy timber merchant on Saturday evening, but bizarrely, after an initial demand of Rs 20 crore in ransom money, the crooks dropped their demand straight to Rs 15 lakh. Eventually, they had to settle for jail time, as the cops caught up with them within hours.

The complaint was registered by Mahendra Nifgiya, 57, timber businessman and resident of Bhavani Peth. Mahendra's son Darshan, 27, was kidnapped while he was riding his bike. The accused - externed criminal Arbaz Khan, 27, Fardin Khan, 19, and Sahil Shaikh, 23 - tailed him on a bike and collided into him on purpose.

"They demanded that he settle the damage to their vehicle. They took him to Golibar Maidan, where he was beaten and kept in a tempo," said Rajendra Mokashi, inspector at Khadak police station. ACP Samir Shaikh said, "At midnight, we learnt that they had taken him to Katraj. We arrested the accused during the ransom exchange. Two more suspects are on the run."

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