For almost two days, Manohar Patel was engulfed in dread regarding his son, Manish, who is 40 years old. Manish had departed from their residence in Bengaluru, mentioning he was traveling to Gadag, located roughly 390 kilometers from the state capital, and assured his father he would be back the following morning.
Instead of returning, Manohar, aged 62, began receiving WhatsApp calls demanding a ransom of Rs 90 lakh for his son’s release, accompanied by distressing images of Manish bound to a chair.
The investigation ultimately led the Bengaluru police to a secluded village near Belur in the Hassan district, approximately 180 kilometers from Bengaluru, where they located Manish in a house during the early hours of October 1.
The authorities have apprehended two individuals in connection with this case.
A senior police official disclosed that Manish left home around 8 p.m. on September 29, informing Manohar he was heading to Gadag for a financial deal and would return the next day. However, he did not come back as expected.
The following day, Manohar started receiving WhatsApp calls from individuals claiming that his son had been kidnapped. The callers allegedly stated that Manish was being held against his will and demanded a ransom of Rs 90 lakh for his safe return.
Reports indicate that the callers also shared photographs of Manish tied to a chair and threatened the family with severe consequences if they failed to pay the ransom.
Worried for his son’s well-being, Manohar sought assistance from the police and filed a complaint. The police took swift action, registering a case and beginning to trace the mobile number used to make the ransom demands.
The investigation initially tracked Manish’s mobile device and subsequently identified another number associated with the alleged kidnappers. This led the police to a remote village near Belur, where they discovered the house where Manish was being held.
A police team executed a raid on the house early Thursday morning, rescuing Manish and detaining the two suspects, who were then brought back to the city.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly provided inconsistent statements regarding how Manish ended up in their custody, leading investigators to consider the possibility that the abduction was a ruse aimed at extorting money from his father.
“It is premature to conclude that Manish orchestrated this incident himself. We are exploring whether he was coerced or influenced by others,” stated a senior police officer, emphasizing that the investigation is also looking into potential involvement from additional parties.
The police are further scrutinizing the financial motives behind the Rs 90 lakh ransom demand and the involvement of the two other individuals.
Ongoing investigations are in progress.
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