Extortion gang busted

By Hemantha Randunu

An organised gang that kidnapped wealthy businessmen, tortured them and extorted millions in ransom, after holding them in a house at Mawanella, was busted by the Colombo Crimes Division on Saturday.

The police made the breakthrough acting on information provided by a businessman victim of the gang, who had been abducted by them to obtain a ransom of Rs 5,000,000. The arrest of four suspects, including the leader of the gang, identified as one Najabdeen, was carried out by a team headed by CCD Inspector Janaka Kularatne.

Investigations have revealed the gang, headed by Najabdeen, had similarly kidnapped wealthy businessmen from Colombo and the surrounding areas and obtained massive ransoms. The suspects are from Maligawatte, Melwatte and Kalutara.

They had got hold of the victim, who later helped the police to bust the gang, by asking him to come for a business meeting. After the businessman arrived at the meeting place, they had bundled him into a van and taken him to their hideout at Mawanella. There, they had tortured him for several days demanding a ransom of five million rupees. The businessman had obtained his release by paying part of the sum demanded and promising to pay the balance at a later date.

He had thereafter complained of his ordeal to CCD Director, Senior Superintendent of Police R. L. Ranaweera, who conducted the investigation.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced in Court after conclusion of investigations. However, none of their other victims have so far come forward to make any complaints against them for fear of reprisal.

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