Mumbai couple freed on ransom?

Shajapur, MP, Feb 6 (UNI) Police are searching for abductors of a Mumbai-resident business couple who were allegedly freed on payment of about Rs 15 lakh ransom.

Police said that Mr Bhagwandas Chandnani and his wife Lajo were freed last night and are putting up at a relative's place in Indore.

A special team led by Inspector-General (Indore Range) Vipin Maheshwari has reached there to question the couple whose car is untraced.

''Several steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents,'' said IG (Ujjain Range) M P Dwivedi.

The couple were abducted by about half-a-dozen people on the Agra-Mumbai National Highway on February 3 while heading for Agra from Mumbai by car to attend a wedding.

Driver Dinesh Yadav alerted Shivpuri district police, on February 4, that the couple were abducted. The crime took place near Shajapur district's Shujalpur and Yadav was later released in Shivpuri district. The driver told police that a ransom of Rs 50 lakh was demanded and the 'deal' was almost finalised for Rs 15 lakh. The accused, in a Scorpio, had stopped the couple's car.

UNI Team-AC 2038