A UK court has convicted the masterminds behind last year’s abduction of two UK citizens in Chennai.
According to a press release, last Wednesday, the Croydon Crown Court, United Kingdom, convicted Ajanthan and Ramesh Sornalingam, who plotted the abduction of Kanapathipillai Thavarajah and his wife Salajah, and sentenced them to jail terms of nine and seven-and-a-half years, respectively.
Thavarajah and Salajah, residents of Edgware in London, were waylaid and kidnapped from Chennai airport on May 29, last year. The kidnappers had demanded a hefty ransom for their release.
The Chennai city police rescued them from Mandharakuppam in Neyveli, Cuddalore district, in three days’ time. A total of 13 persons were arrested in connection with the case.
On information from the Chennai police, the kidnap and special crime unit of Scotland Yard registered a case of conspiracy against Ajanthan and Sornalingam.
The two, who worked in Thavarajah’s firm in the UK, had orchestrated the abduction with the help of their associates, Kannan, Sathya, Indira and others. Coordination between the Chennai police and Scotland Yard led to the arrest of the two men in the UK.
In February 2014, the UK police met city police commissioner S. George seeking evidence in connection with the involvement of Ajanthan and Sornalingam in the abduction. Documentary evidence, photographs, email conversations and call data records were provided.
Evidence collected from the Chennai police helped to get Ajanthan and Sornalingam convicted. “Scotland Yard and the UK court judge congratulated the city police for cooperating and helping with the case,” said a senior police officer.
