Pune Police rescued a 35-year-old man from Tamil Nadu, Venkatesh Subramaniam, who was kidnapped and held hostage at a hotel on Solapur Road. The operation, led by DCP Nikhil Pingle of the Crime Branch, resulted in the arrest of six individuals connected to the kidnapping. Further investigation revealed a complex financial fraud involving both the victim and the accused.
The Case Unfolds
Venkatesh, employed by Binance Pvt. Ltd., was directed by his employer Ramesh to collect funds from individuals and transfer them to Ramesh’s account as part of his job responsibilities. The accused, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, had been persuaded by Ramesh to invest in the company.
On January 6, Venkatesh collected the money and transferred it to Ramesh’s account. Shortly after, Ramesh went incommunicado, raising suspicions among the investors that Venkatesh was complicit in the scam. The accused lured Venkatesh to Mumbai and kidnapped him near Pune, taking him to Pingara Hotel on Solapur Road near Hadapsar, where he was assaulted and confined.
Rescue Operation
Venkatesh managed to inform his relatives in Tamil Nadu, who alerted Pune Police on January 9. Acting swiftly, the Crime Branch's dacoity and vehicle theft team traced Venkatesh and rescued him from the hotel. The six accused—Mohammad Farman Meherban (27), Arjun Kumar Shivkumar (28), Devendra Sunil Albhar (25), Ankit Arjun Adagale (25), Avinash Dattatray Kadam (43), and Priyank Rana (33)—were arrested during the operation.
Investigation Findings
After the rescue, police investigations revealed that both Venkatesh and the accused were victims of a scam orchestrated by Ramesh, who had duped them of their money. Cases under relevant sections of the law were filed at Hadapsar Police Station.
Police Efforts Recognized
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner Ranjankumar Sharma, and Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balakawade. The investigating team, led by Police Inspector Vijay Kumbhar and Assistant Inspector Arjun Kudale, played a key role in solving the case.