Kidnapped Indian businessman in China released; flown home

Beijing, May 25: Indian businessman,

, who was kidnapped by local traders in China's commodity hub Yiwu last week, has been released from illegal custody and was flown back to Mumbai.

Officials of the Indian Embassy and the Indian Consulate at Shanghai, who took up Qureshi's kidnapping with the Chinese foreign ministry and police, said he was released on May 23 and brought to Shanghai and flown home. Qureshi was maltreated by his kidnappers and sustained injuries as a result, the officials said. He is expected to undergo medical check-up in Mumbai as soon as he reached there.

Unlike the previous kidnappings of Indian traders who were made to stay in China to pay the money owed to suppliers, Qureshi was allowed to leave the country by the Chinese police. This is an indication that he did not owe any money to the local suppliers and his kidnapping appears to be due to mistaken identity, Indian officials said. He was reportedly picked up from a restaurant on May 19 by his abductors.

Two Indian businessmen, Shyam Sunder Agarwal and Deepak Raheja were kidnapped and ill-treated for about a fortnight in January this year before they were released following Indian government intervention. There is a travel ban against them to leave the country. Over four months later they are still holed up in Shanghai fighting a case.

The two, who claim to be employees of a firm owned by Yamanese nationals, have paid over USD 1.42 million and fresh cases have been filed against them to pay more. Qureshi's release was kept under wraps and the details were released late on Friday by Indian embassy only after ensuring that he reached India.

PTI