Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
In a case that combined kidnapping with digital extortion, a college professor in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district was allegedly abducted during an evening walk, blindfolded, held captive at knifepoint and forced to transfer nearly Rs 1 lakh through UPI transactions.
Police rescued the professor within 24 hours of the incident and have arrested one suspect, while efforts are underway to track down the remaining accused.
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ABDUCTED WHILE ON EVENING WALK
The incident took place in Jakela village under the Pusaur police station area of Raigarh district.
According to police, Kapurchand Gupta, a professor at a degree college, was out for an evening walk between 6 pm and 7 pm on October 5 near Deepapara and Shobha Rice Mill. Feeling tired, he stopped to rest on a milestone near a roadside pond.
It was then that two men allegedly approached him, dragged him towards the pond, blindfolded him and threatened him with a knife.
The accused later transported him on a motorcycle to Pandripani village in the Bhupdevpur police station area, where he was allegedly confined inside a room.
MOBILE PHONE BECAME THE TARGET
Police said the kidnappers assaulted the professor and forced him to reveal the password to his mobile phone. They also obtained access to his Google Pay and BHIM accounts.
Investigators believe the accused then contacted a woman and obtained her QR code, which they used to transfer money from the professor’s bank account.
According to police, the transactions continued until the account’s transfer limit of around Rs 1 lakh was exhausted.
FAMILY GREW SUSPICIOUS
To avoid raising alarm, the kidnappers allegedly forced the professor to call his family and tell them he was safe.
However, relatives became suspicious and began tracing his location on their own. Their search reportedly led them to Pandripani village.
When the accused realised family members were closing in, they fled the spot, leaving the professor behind.
The family then informed police.
PROFESSOR RESCUED, SUSPECT ARRESTED
Acting on the information, Pusaur Station House Officer Harshvardhan Singh and his team reached the location and rescued the professor safely from the room where he had allegedly been held captive.
Raigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Shashi Mohan Singh ordered an immediate operation to identify and arrest those involved.
Police said Sunil Sarathi, a resident of Jakela village, was arrested within 24 hours of the incident. During questioning, he allegedly admitted involvement in the kidnapping and the conspiracy to transfer money through UPI transactions along with other accomplices.
Authorities said the identities of the remaining suspects have been established and raids are underway to apprehend them.
PROBE INTO DIGITAL MONEY TRAIL
Police have also launched an investigation into the digital transactions linked to the case.
The woman whose QR code was allegedly used to receive the money has been contacted, and the transferred amount has been secured, officials said.
Investigators are now examining her connection to the accused and whether the bank account or UPI ID was used in any previous criminal activity.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway.
The incident has drawn attention to a growing trend in which traditional crimes such as kidnapping are increasingly being combined with digital payment fraud, allowing criminals to extort money directly through mobile banking and UPI platforms.
– Ends
With inputs from Naresh Sharma
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
