Millionaire businessman’s abduction - suspects identified

One of the most audacious and daring abductions took place in recent times in Colombo when a millionaire businessman from Kotahena was abducted by a group of army personnel. The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) has launched a probe to ascertain whether the suspects are also linked to the Rs 700 lakhs heist at Kelaniya three weeks ago.

Sleuths have already made a breakthrough in the robbery and the key suspects have been identified. It is a matter of time when they will be apprehended although they are still on the run, police sources told the Sunday Observer.

Meanwhile, the recent ransom demand by the suspects to extort Rs 20 million from a businessman for his release by a group of persons have been identified as a four-member gang comprising three army personnel and an ex-serviceman.

Of the three soldiers, two had been from a camp at Vavuniya while the other suspect was a soldier from a camp in Colombo.

According to the police this same group of persons had abducted and extorted millions of rupees from wealthy businessmen in the city of Colombo on previous occasions. The modus operandi of the gang remain mysterious.

Did they have the support and backing from other influential people as well ? Whose jeep was used to abduct the businessman? Police are tight-lipped owing to the on-going investigations and have declined to comment on the matter.

At Green Lane

It was on October 13 when the four-member gang abducted a wealthy jewellery businessman from Kotahena. It occurred around 7.30 a.m while he was on his way to drop his daughter at a school in Kotahena. He was driving his car when the four-member gang travelling in a jeep followed his car and intercepted it at Green Lane, Kotahena.

Thereafter, they dragged the businessman from the car along with his daughter and bundled them into a jeep and drove off leaving the car on the road. Later they dropped the girl near a relative’s home and drove off.

The blindfolded businessman was whisked a way to a two-storeyed building at Kelaniya where he was kept in captivity.

When the robbery was reported to Police Headquarters, IGP Mahinda Balasuriya informed, DIG Crimes Western Province, Anura Senanayake and Director Colombo Crime Division (CCD) SP, D.R.L. Ranaweera to conduct investigations and arrest the suspects.

Following the directive six police teams from the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) were assigned the task of apprehending the suspects. The police teams fanned across the Colombo city and its suburbs working on several clues. They soon learnt that the abducted businessman was a wealthy businessman who owned several jewellery shops at Sea Street, Pettah.

Later in the evening he phoned his uncle, another wealthy businessman from Kotahena and explained his ordeal. He told him that the abductors had demanded Rs 200 million for his release. He told him that his daughter was safe.

The abductors had dropped her near a relative’s home on their way to Kelaniya. Police said his uncle too had been a victim of abduction a few years ago and had paid a huge ransom for his release. Sleuths are now investigating whether the four-member gang had abducted his uncle as well.

Admitted to private hospital

By now the victim’s uncle was in constant touch with the abductors and promised to pay them the Rs 50 lakhs initially for the release of his relative. He assured that the cash would be paid to then in due course.

The initial ransom demand was Rs 100 lakhs. On the instructions of CCD, the uncle got himself admitted to a private hospital. Thereafter, he telephoned the gang and informed them that he was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo. He said arrangements could be made at the hospital to pay the cash and called upon them to release his relative forthwith. Following the uncle’s assurance, the gang released him from captivity the following day. As pre- arranged one of the gang members was asked to come to the hospital to collect the cash.

Meanwhile, CCD sleuths in civvies surrounded the hospital and took up positions, awaiting the arrival of the gang. A bag containing a cheque for Rs 30 million, some fake notes, and a jewelled ring was handed over to the released businessman. He was instructed by the sleuths to hand it over to a gang member. Hours later a suspicious looking character called over at the hospital. When he was about to enter the hospital, CCD officers pounced on him and seized him.

They also recovered a hand grenade in his trouser pocket. After he was questioned, the sleuths learnt that he had been a soldier in the army. In the course of the interrogation the identities of other suspects were also revealed. They were two soldiers and an ex soldier. It was also revealed the jeep used to abduct the businessman had a fake number plate. The gang had also rented out a palatial house at Kelaniya to detain the abducted victim.

Police suspect that wealthy buisssmen abducted by the gang would have ended up at this location until the ransom money was paid for their release. Following the revelation several police teams were despatched to arrest the suspects. However, at the time of filing the story it was not known whether the suspects had been apprehended.

A senior officer from the CCD denied any knowledge about the arrest of any soldiers.

Further investigations are being conducted by the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) under the direction of DIG Crimes Western Province, Anura Senanayake and the Director of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) SP. D.R.L. Ranaweera.