Pune: Kidnapped for Rs 1.5-crore ransom, businessman rescued within 12 hours

Top officials, including Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisave, Additional Commissioners Sunil Phulari and Ashok Morale, Deputy Commissioners Suhas Bavache and Sambhaji Kadam, and Assistant Commissioners Shivaji Pawar and Vijay Choudhary visited the crime scene.

Several teams, including those with Crime Branch sleuths, were formed to track down the kidnappers. Meanwhile, following instructions from police, Ganatra’s family maintained contact with the kidnappers.

Police said the kidnappers agreed to release Ganatra after receiving a ransom amount of Rs 1.5 crore. They asked his family members to come to Chandani Chowk in Kothrud at Thursday midnight with the money.

Mahesh Ganatra went to the spot and handed over the money to the kidnappers, after which they released his father. The kidnappers then fled from the spot on motorcycles. Police teams gave chase to the kidnappers and arrested two of them. The duo were identified as Sujit Kiran Gujar (24) and Omkar Shrinath Walhekar (20).

“Probe revealed that the conspiracy to kidnap Ganatra was hatched by Ajay Balasaheb Sabale, a resident of Wadki Nala. His aide Amit Jagtap was also involved in the crime,” said Shisave during a press conference on Friday.

Police said Jagtap had fled in an SUV with the ransom. Pune Police conducted search operations and finally nabbed Jagtap in Wadki Nala area. They recovered Rs 1.47 crore in cash from his possession. The alleged mastermind, Sabale, is still at large and attempts are on to arrest him.