Kidnapping plot foiled: Three arrested, forged MHA ID recovered in Bitcoin investment feud

New Delhi [India], October 23 (ANI): Delhi Police have arrested three suspects and recovered Rs. 30,000 in connection with a kidnapping and extortion case linked to a failed Bitcoin investment. The swift action by the Anand Vihar Police Station led to the rescue of two victims, Aryan Sharma and Tanishq Rajamani, and the capture of three of the accused.
The incident came to light on October 22, 2024, when a PCR call was received at PS Anand Vihar, reporting a demand of Rs. 2 lakhs from the complainant's friends. Ashutosh Mishra, a witness and friend of the victims, informed the police that his two friends had been abducted in his car by unidentified persons and were being taken towards Seelampur, Delhi.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, the police traced the location of Aryan Sharma's mobile phone. Acting swiftly, IO/SI Priyank and the police team reached the identified spot, where they found the victims, Aryan Sharma and Tanishq Rajamani. The suspects, later identified as Md. Saad and Fareed, were present, while two others, Arshad and Babloo, managed to escape.
According to Aryan Sharma, a 24-year-old resident of Vaishali, Uttar Pradesh, he, along with his friends Ashutosh Mishra and Tanishq Rajamani, had invested in a bitcoin company called Bitox, which promised high returns. The group had taken Rs. 2 lakhs from the accused, Fareed, intending to invest it. However, they faced losses and could not return the money.
A fortnight prior to the incident, Fareed had taken Aryan's mobile phone and watch following the financial dispute. On October 22, Aryan reached out to Fareed, requesting the return of his belongings. Accompanied by Ashutosh Mishra and Tanishq Rajamani, Aryan went to Kailash Deepak Hospital to meet Fareed. At around 6:30 PM, Fareed, along with Md. Saad, Arshad, and Babloo, arrived at the hospital and forcibly entered Aryan's SUV car. They abducted Aryan and Tanishq, driving them towards Seelampur, while Ashutosh managed to escape and report the incident to the police.
The kidnappers extorted Rs. 40,000 from Aryan and forced him to sign blank papers. The police, using technical surveillance and information provided by Ashutosh, traced the victims' location to Seelampur.
A team was immediately dispatched to the site. Upon their arrival, Arshad and Babloo fled, but Fareed, Md. Saad, and another accomplice, Farman, were apprehended. An FIR was registered based on Aryan Sharma's statement, and Rs. 30,000 was recovered from the suspects.
Additionally, forged Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ID cards were found in the possession of the accused. The case remains under investigation as the police continue their search for the remaining suspects and the unrecovered funds. (ANI)