2 days ago
Sharjah businessman kidnapping: Former employee among 6 arrested in Kerala
After a UAE-based businessman was kidnapped in the Indian state of Kerala, a former employee has been held in connection to the crime, according to Malayalam media reports.
It also stated that Kerala police said that the man was dismissed from service, which fueled rage and personal enmity. The man is also thought to have previously issued threats against his former employer.
It was on Tuesday that the entrepreneur, who owns a Sharjah-based chain of pharmacies, was abducted by a group of people while on a short vacation to his hometown of Malappuram in Kerala. Two days later, police were able to rescue him from Kollam, more than 300km away from the place he was taken from.
Other media reports suggest that police suspect more people may be involved in the crimes. Two of those who were apprehended have previous charges against them, including an attempt to murder. The police are continuing investigation to recover all the vehicles and arrest everyone involved.
The former employee was part of a group of six who are now in custody in relation to the crime. He was believed to be involved in several of the abductee's business ventures and police are now investigating whether any financial motives were behind the kidnapping.
Soon after the businessman was taken, a Whatsapp call was made to his business partner, demanding a ransom of over Dh500,000. A similar call was also made to the man's wife, instructing her to drop the complaint that she filed with police.
The man's wife, who was in the UAE at the time of the incident, flew to India immediately. An enquiry by the local police centred around the vehicles that was used to transport the abductee.
In a statement to Khaleej Times, a company representative had said the rescue operation was carried out 'promptly and efficiently' and that the perpetrators were in police custody.
