One more arrested in Chennai businessman kidnap and extortion case; two surrender before Saidapet court

CHENNAI: Following the arrest of a young woman who acted as a conduit in the kidnap and extortion of Rs 50 lakh from a city businessman, City Police arrested one more person, Thamim Ansari of Chennai on Friday. Two others - Shaji (43) and Sakthivel (35) surrendered before the Magistrate in Saidapet.

On Tuesday, Police had arrested Sonia from Vellore, who lured the businessman, Javith to a 'house party' and facilitated his kidnap.

She is a graduate who got acquainted with the kidnappers during her frequent trips to the city nightclubs. That is where she met the victim, Javith Saibudin, too.

Javith, a resident of Royapettah runs a laptop and mobile phone store in Burma Bazaar.

"She was promised a five percent cut of the Rs 50 lakh, but the gang did not honour her the deal except for the Rs 10,000 she was given as an advance, " a police officer said.

On May 17, Sonia had called Javith and invited him for a party and gave an address in MRC Nagar. When Javith went to the neighbourhood in his car and was looking for the said house, he was accosted by a gang who threatened him with a knife and bundled him up in a hatchback.

He was taken around the city and after crossing Madhuravoyal, Javith was blindfolded and taken to a house. One of the gang members told Javith that there was a bounty on his life and that they would be paid Rs 50 lakh if they executed him.

The businessman pleaded with the gang and told them that he would arrange the money and asked them to let him free.

The next day, Javed managed to pay the demanded amount to the kidnappers in two instalments after which he was let off in the evening near Chetpet.