Smart abductors not smart enough

Senthilnathan Rajesweri's husband Kandiah Senthilnathan aged 62 years was a prosperous businessman who amassed a fortune over the years by engaging in a legitimate business in Colombo. He was a trader by profession who owned a boutique in the Keselwatte area. Kandiah lived in a comfortable upstair home with his wife and family at Dias Place, Colombo 12, much to the envy of his neighbours who were not so prosperous as him. Everyone knew that he was rich. Even the underworld men in the area had cast an evil eye on him. They knew Kandiah and his family had large sums of money at home. They were now planning to plunder his wealth by hook or crook.

It was in mid December when four underworld men met at a lonely spot at Maligawatte under the cover of darkness. They had a sinister plan which they were going to execute soon. Their master plan was to abduct Kandiah and demand a huge ransom for his release from his family.

The men needed money desperately because they hadn't staged a bank hoist for some time owing to the security situation in the country. There were far too many policemen and security force personnel deployed in towns to keep a vigil on suspicious characters. The underworld men were aware of it and took precautions not to be spotted lurking around the city. They discussed at length the strategy involved in the abduction drama. The lure of money was tempting which they could not resist. The four men nodded their agreement to abduct Kandiah.

They were to stage the abduction when Kandiah returned to his shop after lunch. The date was fixed for December 27, 2008. The abduction was to take place near the Kachcheri junction at Welle-Weediya, Colombo around 1 p.m. The men previously had noted him returning to his shop around 1 p.m. after lunch. He usually walked the distance up to his shop. As planned the four underworld men arrived in a three-wheeler taxi near the Kachcheri that day and waited patiently near a tea kiosk for Kandiah's arrival. But Kandiah showed up late that day. He was three hours late.

While going past the Kachcheri in the direction of his boutique, the underworld men stalked him. They seized Kandiah, gagged him and blindfolded him with a piece of cloth. Thereafter, they dragged him to the three-wheeler nearby and whisked him away to some part of Colombo.

Armed to the teeth

Kandiah did not offer any resistance after being overpowered by four strong men. He feared for his life for more than anything else. He knew the men were armed to the teeth. That night when Kandiah did not turn up home his family was alarmed. They searched high and low for him but it was a futile effort. It was on the 28.12. 2008 that his wife Senthilnathan Rajesweri received a telephone call from a stranger. He said they had abducted her husband and needed Rs 25 lakhs cash for his release.

Fearing for her husband's life she lodged a complaint at the Keselwatte Police Station on 28.12.2008 around 1.15 p.m. regarding the abduction of her husband and the ransom demand by an unknown man to release her husband. When the matter was brought to the notice of OIC Keselwatte Police Station, Chief Inspector W.M. Chandratilleke, detailed OIC Crimes Keselwatte Inspector K.L.S. Ajith Kumara and Police Sergeant (PS) 32966 Bandara, PS 31737 Appuhamy, Police Constable (PC) 13067 Karunaratne, PC 16571 Abeysinghe, PC 51441 Jayawardena, PC 38363 Sugath, PC 9574 Abeywardena, Woman Police Constable (WPC) Nandani to track down the suspect. OIC Chandratilleke briefed Rajeswari to bargain with the abductor. She was to plead with the abductor for the release of her husband. She was to tell them that she was willing to pay Rs 10 lakhs for his release.

When the mysterious caller rang again that evening she begged of him not to harm her husband. She told him that she was willing to pay Rs 10 lakhs for his release. The man at the other end of the telephone told her to bring cash Rs 10 lakhs on the following day in a three wheeler taxi to Hulftsdorp. He also told her to come in a three wheeler with a driver who speaks the Tamil language. He further told her to carry a cellular telephone and to let him know of the number. Later that evening when Rajeswari told OIC Chandrasiri about the conversation she had with the abductor, he patiently listened and planned his strategy. He instructed policemen to assemble both fake and genuine currency notes in a bag. The OIC told the complainant to take along the bag containing the cash in a three-wheeler driven by a Tamil speaking policeman in civil clothes. A woman relative of hers and her cousin brother were told to accompany her in the three-wheeler. On December 29 around 3.35 p.m. Rajeswari's cousin brother received a telephone call from the man who was holding up Kandiah. Using Kandiah's cellular he told him to bring along the cash to a lane at Hulftsdorp on the following day. That evening the complainant informed OIC Chandrasiri about the latest development.

A man suddenly appears

On the following day 29.12.2008 the complainant, her cousin and another woman relative of hers left with the bag of money in a three wheeler taxi as pre-arranged by the Keselwatte Police. A team of policemen in civil clothes followed them in a another three-wheeler. When they proceeded to a lane at Hulftsdorp they were told again to proceed to Bandaranaike Mawatha at Hulftsdorp. When the party arrived there they were told again to proceed to a lane at Grandpass. From there onwards they were directed to several places in the Grandpass area. Finally they were told to proceed again to Parakrama lane at Grandpass that meets a by lane at Layards Broadway. The caller this time told Rajeswari and the party to hand over the bag containing money to a man approaching from the opposite direction. While proceeding a few yards along the lane a man suddenly appeared from the opposite direction and asked for the money. The man grabbed the bag and proceeded a few yards confronted by policemen who followed him. They searched the man recovered a live hand grenade in his possession. After being questioned police learnt that the suspect was from Heenetiyagala, Wathumulla in the Kalutara area. He resided at Dimelwatte, Grandpass. The suspect finally confessed that he along with other suspects planned to extort money from Kandiah.

Meanwhile, Kandiah who was a hostage of the underworld men was finally released around 8.30.p.m. Kandiah later told police that he was kept in an isolated home near a rail track. Police subsequently came to know the other men involved in the abduction drama who had fled the area. A police party has been despatched to an outstation area to arrest them, OIC Chandrasiri said.