A teenage son of a prominent city-based builder had been allegedly kidnapped at knifepoint for Rs 10 lakh by three young abductors, who freed him hours after the ransom was arranged, police said today.
The minor boy had been kidnapped on Saturday evening.
The Agripada police as well as the Crime Branch, who investigated the matter, cracked the abduction case today with the arrest of five accused, including a friend of the victim.
The accused were identified as Faiz Abdul Sheikh (19), Raibar Qureshi (19), Shahbaz Imtiaz Sheikh (19), Harish Khan (19) and Riyaz Khan (20), police said.
While the first three accused were held by Crime Branch, the other two were apprehended by Agripada police.
According to police, Harish knew the 17-year-old victim, a class XII student of an international high school in Powai.
On Saturday, Harish had asked the victim, a resident of posh area in south Mumbai, to meet him near Classic Tower building in Agripada area.
While the victim was waiting for Harish, three accused Faiz, Raibar and Shahbaz pounced upon him, threatening him with a knife before pushing him into a taxi at about 7.45 pm.
"The trio threatened him to arrange Rs 10 lakh or face dire consequences. The victim was warned to arrange money through his friends and not to inform his parents, suspecting the family would alert the policemen," a police officer said.
While the panicked victim dialled his friends seeking monetary help, the accused kept the taxi moving and drove him to various locations in the city.
The vehicle stopped at three locations -- Dadar, BKC and Khar -- from where the victim collected different amount from his three friends and arranged Rs 10 lakh.
"After the ransom was arranged, the boy was released near Lilavati hospital in Bandra at about 11.45 PM on Saturday, who subsequently went to his parents and narrated his ordeal," Deputy Police Commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni said.
An FIR was registered at Agripada police station the next day on the charges of kidnapping after he approached the police. Agripada police and the crime branch conducted parallel probes in the case.
During the probe, it was revealed that the kidnappers were friends of Harish, whereas Riyaz provided logistical support.
Subsequently, all the five accused were arrested, police said adding that the cash was yet to be recovered.
