Police nab Extortionists

Pune, Jun 2 (UNI) Rural police today arrested seven members of a gang, allegedly involved in kidnapping of a businessman from Shirur Taluka, in Pune district of Maharashtra, for a ransom of Rs 1.5 crore.

They said 42-year-old Murti More, a businessman, was abducted by the gang members on May 27. A missing complaint was registered with Shirur Police station on May 28 by More's family when he did not return home.

A gang member had called up More's residence the next day and demanded Rs 1.5 crore ransom from the family. The family members informed the police, who laid the trap near a bridge in Osmanabad and arrested all the accused on the spot, Police said.

Assistant police inspector Arvind Gokude said the same gang had earlier kidnapped More on October 27, 2007 but they released him after receiving a ransom of Rs 32 Lakhs from him.

Gokude said More had then not registered any complaint against anyone, fearing threat from the gang members.

Superintendent of Police Viswas Nagre Patil has announced a reward of Rs 5,000 to API Arvind Gokude and Rs 2000 each to his team members, who nabbed the accused.

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