Four arrested for kidnapping TV actor

New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Four Mumbai-based suspects have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a TV actor and his brother, the police said Tuesday.

Rakesh Kathuria, also known as Babla, and his brother Manish were abducted from Mumbai and Delhi respectively in May this year and their kidnappers had 'demanded Rs.2.5 million as ransom', Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police Neeraj Thakur told reporters.

Kahturia is also a fashion choreographer. He has acted in TV serials like 'Durgesh Nandini' and 'Dekh Bhai Dekh'. He has worked in many Bhojpuri, Tamil and other regional movies as well.

After his release, Kathuria, a resident of Rohini in northwest Delhi, complained to the police that he had been abducted from Mumbai by four men while his brother Manish was kidnapped by members of the same gang from Delhi May 12.

The kidnappers had impersonated as Delhi Police's crime branch and Mumbai police's ATS officials to enact the drama, Thakur said.

'Manish was released after midnight to arrange the money. The abductors could get only Rs.650,000, some gold jewellery, laptop and mobile phones. The accused also withdrew some cash using the victims' ATM cards,' Thakur added.

He said the abductors threatened Kathuria to leave Mumbai and within hours of being released he returned to Delhi, where he complained to the police.

The police Dec 19 arrested Adil Nawaz who confessed of his involvement in Manish's kidnapping in Delhi and revealed that Vishal Kapoor had masterminded the abduction drama, Thakur said.

Nawaz told the police that Kasif Khan kidnapped Kathuria on the directions of Kapoor who had also arranged a hideout in Goregaon, Mumbai.

Nawaz led the police to arrest Kapoor, Kasif and Rohit Singh Dec 22 from Santacruz in Mumbai. The complainant's laptop was recovered from their possession, the police officer said.

The police suspect business rivalry could be one of the reasons for the abduction.

'We are also investigating if there was any motive behind the kidnapping other than ransom,' Thakur said.

'The accused had deleted business related data from Kathuria's laptop. We are also trying to ascertain their involvements in other similar crimes as the Goregaon flat was used as a hideout.'