"Four of those arrested were from Nagaon while one person was well acquainted with the insurance agent who was arrested from a small village in an operation early today," East Khasi Hills district SP M Kharkrang told reporters.
He said the victim Digbijoy Das was rescued unharmed from a secluded hut in the Gaspara Simola village in the Amsui area under Nagaon district after 41 days of captivity.
Das was reported missing since February 7 and the kidnappers had called his family members demanding ransom of not less than Rs two crore in exchange for his life, the SP said.
Mobile numbers were traced to Nagaon district and other intelligence inputs directed the SIT to the location where the kidnappers are hauling the victim, police said.
During the operation all five persons involved in the kidnapping - Rashendra Paul of Jail Road, Shillong, Tapas Paul of Jamunamukh, Nagaon, Pradeep Das of Senshua, Nagaon, Tarender Das of Amsui, Nagaon and Bhutka Das of Amsui, Nagaon were arrested.
Three mobile phones, eight SIM cards, a 0.32 pistol with two rounds of ammunition, chains used in cuffing the victim and four daos (sharp weapons) were seized from their possession, the police added.