The Sampigehalli police ensured a happy ending to the kidnap of an electrical contractor for ransom. The police arrested four persons and recovered one van, one cellphone, a register book pertaining to chit business and a signed empty bond paper.
The accused have been identified as Naseemunnisa (35), Abdul Suban (42), Shahbaaz (20), Siraj (28) and Imraaz Pasha (26), all residents of Kavalbyrasandra.
The police said Shafiulla, electrical contractor and a resident of Hegde Nagar went missing under mysterious circumstances, when he was returning home on the night of December 13.
An unidentified person called up Balkis Taj, Shafiulla’s wife the next day and demanded Rs 2 lakh ransom to release her husband. Taj expressed her inability to secure the money.
The caller then directed her to bring original documents pertaining to ownership of her house and a signed empty bond paper. He threatened to hack her husband down and also threatened to throw the body near Hebbal flyover if she informed the police.

Change of plan

As per the plan Taj, her son Nayaz and a few others went to Kannamangala Cross near the Bengaluru International Airport the same day, but the kidnappers did not turn up. After a few hours, the accused directed Taj to meet them near a masjid in Frazer Town. When Taj and others reached the spot, the accused called her and alleged that she had come along with the police and switched off the cellphone.
However, Taj did not get any call until the next day and lodged a complaint with the police, who collected the call details of the accused.
The call was made from RT Nagar. The police, based on the information of the location, raided a shed at Beeranna Layout in Kavalbyrasandra and arrested the accused.
When interrogated, Naseemunnisa admitted to having kidnapped Shafiulla. The latter was into a chit business in 2001.
She lodged a cheating case against Shafiulla, who allegedly owned money to her.
The case is still pending in the court. However, Naseemunnisa could not wait for the verdict and hence resorted to the act.
 Naseemunnisa wanted to transfer the house in her name and later sell the same for money. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody, the police added.
Shafiulla told Deccan Herald: “I was locked inside the shed and was beaten up.  They threatened me of dire consequences if I did not transfer my house to Naseemunnisa.”