Businessman's Fake Kidnapping Scam Exposed

A flower trader named Arjun Kumar from Basehiya village allegedly faked his kidnapping to repay a Rs 31 lakh loan, police reported. Kumar went missing on Wednesday, triggering a ransom demand call received by his brother. The Gonda police discovered the hoax and apprehended Kumar in Haridwar.

A flower trader named Arjun Kumar from Basehiya village allegedly faked his kidnapping to repay a Rs 31 lakh loan, police reported on Saturday.

Kumar went missing on Wednesday evening, leading his family to file a missing person's complaint. The next day, his brother Rakesh received a ransom demand call claiming Kumar had been abducted.

The police tracked Kumar down to Haridwar, where he confessed to staging the kidnapping. He had hoped his family would arrange the ransom to cover his debt. Legal action is being pursued against him, said Gonda Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal.