Gujarat Couple, Kidnapped In Iran Trying To Enter US Illegally, Returns

A couple from Gujarat who were held hostage in Iran while they were trying to enter the US illegally returned on Wednesday, city police said.

The couple were released by the kidnappers on payment of a ransom of Rs 10 lakh, police said.

Krushnanagar police in Ahmedabad city had on Tuesday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against agents Abhay Raval and Pintu Goswami, who had allegedly promised to send the couple to the US through Iran.

The case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 364-A (kidnapping) and 420 (cheating) but no arrest has been made yet, police said.

"The couple -- Pankaj Patel and his wife Nisha Patel -- returned on Wednesday morning. Further investigation is being done by the Ahmedabad crime branch," said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 4, Kanan Desai here.

The Patels have been admitted to a private hospital in Gandhinagar. A doctor treating them said that Pankaj (29) is still in deep shock due to the mental and physical torture he suffered in captivity, while his pregnant wife, who did not suffer any injury, is doing well.

"Pankaj sometimes feels he is still in Iran. He cried profusely as he was tortured a lot during captivity. Nisha is mentally strong and she was not harmed during captivity," said Dr Utsav Patel.

Talking to the media, 29-year-old Nisha Patel thanked the Ahmedabad crime branch and Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi for her and her husband's safe return.

While the city crime branch was tight-lipped about the investigation, inspector AJ Chauhan of Krushnanagar police station said the couple planned to reach Mexico from Iran and enter the US illegally.

As per the FIR, based on a complaint filed by Pankaj's elder brother Sanket Patel, the couple were released by the kidnappers on June 18 after receiving Rs 10 lakh sent by agent Abhay Raval.

Goswami and Raval had allegedly demanded Rs 1.5 crore to send the couple to the US via Tehran and Mexico but the couple had not paid any money to them before leaving India, said inspector Mr Chauhan.

Raval, who has an office in Gandhinagar, first sent the couple to Hyderabad on June 3 and informed a local agent named Shakil. After acquiring an Iranian visa, the couple reached Tehran on June 13, as per the FIR.

At Tehran, some persons including one Wasim took them to a hotel and held them hostage for a ransom of Rs 15 lakh. To mount pressure on the family, the kidnappers sent a video of Pankaj begging for mercy while his back was slashed with a blade.

In another video sent to Sanket Patel on WhatsApp, the kidnappers could be seen thrashing Pankaj with a belt. When Sanket contacted Raval, the latter allegedly told him that the kidnappers will free the couple once they got money.

Raval, allegedly, sent Rs 10 lakh to the kidnappers in two instalments through hawala networks, the FIR claimed.

On June 18, Raval informed Sanket that Pankaj and Nisha had been released. After that, both Raval and Goswami switched off their phones and could not be contacted, the FIR said.

The two agents tried to extract money through others by having the couple kidnapped, Sanket Patel claimed in his complaint.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)