Ransom drama ends, extortionist nabbed

Rafik Jalaldeen

An extortionist was arrested on Monday after he abducted a businessman and demand Rs. 2.5 million ransom from his family.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said a businessman was abducted by unknown persons on Christmas day from the Keselwatta area.

“The suspects were threatening the businessman’s family over the phone and demanded Rs. 2.5 million to release the businessman”, SSP Gunasekera added. However, the businessman’s family after negotiating with the suspects had negotiated the amount to one million rupees.

“The family of the businessman had lodged a complaint with the Keselwatta police and detailed about the telephone conversation with the extortionist”, the SSP said.

Setting the scene to trap the extortionists, two police teams were deployed to net the culprit. “Family of the businessman had informed the extortionists to show up at a location at Grandpass area to handover the money.

Two police teams in two tri shaws with the businessman’s family members had dispatched one million rupees in fake paper notes”, SSP Gunasekera told the Daily News.

When a person was arranged to deliver the money to the location the police nabbed the suspect and the rest escaped the area. “Investigations revealed that the extortionists were underworld gangsters”, he added.

Police are on the look out for three underworld members involved in the abduction.