GST officers on raid kidnapped for Rs 5 lakh ransom
GST officers on raid kidnapped for Rs 5 lakh ransom, scrap dealer among 4 held in Hyderabad
Two GST intelligence officers in Hyderabad were allegedly assaulted and kidnapped when they arrived at a scrap godown Wednesday to raid the premises and inquire into an alleged fake GST registration, the police said. Rachakonda police arrested a scrap dealer and three of his associates in connection with the incident.
According to officials, the incident took place in Kranthinagar, Saroornagar and the arrested were identified as Syed Firoze, owner of the scrap unit, and his associates Syed Mujeeb, Shaik Imtiaz, and Syed Musheer.
B Sai Sri, LB Nagar Deputy Commissioner of Police, said that the accused asked for Rs 5 lakh ransom to be arranged for their release. The police received a complaint at around 10.30 am from GST officers who were informed about the assault and kidnap of two of their officers.
The DGGI (Directorate General of GST Intelligence) had a tip-off regarding the scrap unit using a fake GST registration number. According to police, when the two officers reached the site and started inquiries, the four accused picked up a heated argument with the two, snatched the ID cards of the officials and pushed them into a Toyota Fortuner and drove away.
“The accused asked for Rs 5 lakh ransom to be arranged for their release. One of the officers called his superior on the phone and informed him about the matter,” DCP said.
The superior officers alerted the Rachakonda police. Special police teams quickly tracked the kidnapped officers based on CCTV visuals and technical support to rescue them from near Rajiv Chowk, four km from the godown, by noon.
The arrested people were remanded in judicial custody. The police are on the lookout for another accused who is absconding.