Sushma’s help sought for businessman’s release

Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani urge Centre to intervene.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj

Congress leader Ahmed Patel and independent Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani have sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for the release of Baroda-based businessman Paraman Radhakrishnan, who has been held in the U.S. for “terrorising”.

Ms. Swaraj tweeted on Monday that she had asked for a report from the Indian Ambassador in the U.S.

“Swaraj should look into the matter of Radhakrishnan and take steps for his early release,” Mr. Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, told reporters in Vadodara.

Mr. Nathwani also sought the Union Minister’s intervention. “I have raised the issue in the U.S. and requested the authorities to take it up,” he told

The Hindu , which had on Monday reported the arrest of the 53-year-old businessmen from Gujarat for alleged bomb threat.

Wife’s plea

When contacted, Mr. Radhakrishnan’s wife Renu Radhakrishnan told

The Hindu that she was “not in a position to comment.” On Sunday, Ms. Renu had tweeted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms. Swaraj urging them to help get Mr. Radhakrishnan back from the U.S.

“Modiji, my husband has been arrested in Grand Forks. He is just a simple honest resident of Vadodara,” she tweeted. She said her husband was passionate about energy conservation and had even won a national award.

Gujarat in the dark

However, even on Monday, the Gujarat government appeared to be unaware of the issue. “We are yet to get any details from anyone,” Pradipsinh Jadeja, Minister of State for Home and Non-Resident Gujarati Affairs, told The Hindu .

Paraman Radhakrishnan was on a week-long business trip to the U.S., and preparing to return home when he was arrested. He had checked in for a flight from Grand Forks to Minneapolis, Minnesota, early on Saturday. He then allegedly entered into an altercation with the airlines’ staff and was accused of threatening them. He said there was a bomb in his bag, local newspapers reported.

“Police say the suspect may have said that because he was upset with the airport staff. But threats of this nature at an airport is taken seriously,” Grand Forks police spokesperson Jay Middleton said.