A day after two accused were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a five-year-old boy on January 25, one of them told the police during interrogation that he had been a customer at the shop of the boy’s father for the last six years.
The father of the boy runs a shop selling disposable material in Mandoli, just a few kilometres away from the eatery that was run by the main accused, Nitin Sharma, in Gokulpuri.
In an encounter in the early hours of Tuesday, the boy was rescued from an apartment in Sahibabad and one accused Ravi Lal was shot dead, Pankaj sustained a bullet injury on his right thigh, and Nitin was arrested.
Knew family was rich
“Nitin was interrogated at length. He disclosed that he knew the boy’s family was rich and had money because he had been their customer for the last six years,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ramgopal Naik, whose team rescued the boy.
“He used to buy disposable glasses and other material from the shop of the boy’s father,” he added.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly told the police that they were aware that the family had received ₹60 lakh from a land deal, which became the reason for them to ask for the particular amount as ransom.
A senior police officer, part of the investigation team, said: “Pankaj was lodged in jail in a case of motor vehicle theft. He was released from jail on January 5. Pankaj was working for Nitin for the last one year and the former used to send the latter to buy stuff at their shop,” he said.
Nitin and Pankaj then met Ravi and the three hatched the plan, the police said.
The officer added that the accused showed remorse for the kidnapping and confessed that they shouldn’t have committed the crime. “ Galti ho gayi humse [We made a mistake],” Nitin allegedly told investigators.
Judicial custody
“A lot of criminals do not show any remorse even if they are first timers. Nitin has expressed guilt, but Pankaj and Ravi seemed more hardened,” the officer said, adding that Nitin will be sent to judicial custody on Thursday.
During the probe, the police said that it appeared that the accused had no intention of killing the child but just take the money and return him safely.
“No role of an insider has come to fore so far, but we are yet to verify the role a woman who seem to have visited the house where the boy was kept,” the officer said.
