A job aspirant from Visakhapatnam was rescued from the clutches of his abductors in Bangkok after nine days in captivity. K. Srinivas of Gajuwaka was in China for internship after doing a course in hotel management here. Mr. Srinivas had applied for the course in response to an internet advertisement given by Jimmy Gupta, a commission agent of M/s Overseas Bizz Group.
Another commission agent of that company, Gottipati Manmadha promised him a job on an Australian cruise-liner with a salary of Rs.96,000 per month.
Mr. Srinivas went to Bangkok on August 28 and was given a visa to work on an Australian ship, but he refused to join doubting the validity of the visa.
When he sought an appointment letter, Gupta and his gang became furious and confined him at an undisclosed location.
They telephoned his father Hanumantha Rao and threatened to kill his son if he did not pay 25,000 dollars. Mr. Rao bargained and deposited Rs.1.30 lakh into an account on the direction of Abilash Elangovan of Chennai on September 3.
When the kidnappers demanded payment of the remaining Rs.12 lakh immediately, Mr. Rao called up Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao and sought his help.
The Commissioner put the Cyber Crime Police on the job and alerted the CID, Interpol and the Indian Embassy in Bangkok. Mr. Purnachandra Rao also sent details on the threatening phone calls, SMS and a copy of the FIR to the Thailand police. Jimmy Gupta and three others were arrested by the police there on September 7 and Mr. Srinivas rescued.
Manmadha of Vizag and Elangovan of Chennai, who were arrested in India, were produced before the media here on Monday. The Thailand police handed over Mr. Srinivas to the Indian Embassy after recording his statement.
